VOA文化艺术2024--Actor, 94, Does Her Own Stunts in Film 'Thelma'

Actor, 94, Does Her Own Stunts¹ in Film 'Thelma'

Actor June Squibb is the star of Thelma, a new action-comedy about a grandmother seeking revenge. Her part in the film required many physically² demanding actions, called stunts.

Even though she is 94 years old, Squibb was able to complete many of the stunts herself. These included scenes where she had to repeatedly fall, as well as drive a motor scooter during a chase scene.

Squibb said she knew what she was getting into before she accepted the part, or role. She told Reuters news service, "It was great fun, and I came into it having read the script and deciding, 'Well, I think I could do that.'"

Thelma is about a grandmother who seeks revenge against telephone scammers. These phone criminals stole $10,000 of her savings³. But the movie shows the scammers chose the wrong grandmother to cross. Squibb demonstrates Thelma's revengeful ways by performing numerous stunts.

Most actors - even ones more than half her age - do not complete their own stunts. So, she had to persuade filmmakers that she could perform them effectively and safely.

Josh Margolin directed the film for Magnolia Pictures. He noted⁴ that one movie star who is known for doing his own stunts is Tom Cruise. He said that in Thelma, he saw Squibb successfully channel her "inner Tom Cruise."

Squibb noted she became more and more comfortable doing her own stunts as filming progressed, saying, "I got more crazy about it." She added that while she may be in her 90s, she still feels 35.

Squibb's level of energy was not surprising to Fred Hechinger, who plays her grandson in the film. He said, "We met before we started filming, we just developed a friendship and a kind of artistic⁵ kinship, so I was well aware of her magic."

Squibb has played many different roles throughout her long movie career. She has also acted in plays on Broadway as well as in television shows. She was nominated for an Academy Award as best supporting actress for the 2013 film Nebraska.

While the film is a comedy, Margolin said it also shows how many scammers target older people. It even happened to his own grandmother.

Margolin said his grandmother received the same kind of money scam phone call as Thelma. And just like in the film, his family quickly became concerned. "And then luckily in real life," Margolin said, "we were able to step in before she sent the money."

He added, "The things she's doing are fictionalized but the character is still very drawn⁶ from a lot of elements of my real grandma." Margolin said real-life moments and details were included in the film to demonstrate the real risk of such scams.

The film currently has a 99 percent rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes. And many film critics have particularly praised Squibb's performance.

For Squibb, it is especially important that women around her age can see the movie. She said, "We have been at screenings, and especially older women are seeing it and coming out just glowing. They just are enjoying it so much."

One woman even showed Squibb what she would do if she had a scooter. "She went through the whole thing of riding a scooter for us. I just think that's wonderful. I'm so proud of that, that someone can see it and it can give them such joy," Squibb added.

Thelma arrives in U.S. theaters June 21.

Words in This Story

revenge - n. to get even for a wrong done

script - n. the written text of a stage play, screenplay, or broadcast specifically : the one used in production or performance

scammer - n. a person who commits or participates in a fraudulent scheme or operation

channel - v. to direct toward or into some particular course : to direct something into a particular place or situation:

kinship - n. a feeling of being close or similar to other people or things

fictionalized - adj. made into something invented or imagined by the addition of made-up elements

screening - n. a showing of a motion picture

proud - adj. having or displaying excessive self-esteem : a proud manner : much pleased

1 stunts   

n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。
• The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。