Lifetime Debuts First Look at Their Brand-New 'Steel Magnolias' Film
Project features an all-black cast
By Kate Erbland Jul 5, 2012 2:39PM
Herbert Ross' 1989 film version of Robert Harling's lady-centric, Southern fried play "Steel Magnolias" featured an all-star cast that would still be impressive today. The film included such talents as Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts as the core six ladies, along with male stars like Tom Skerritt, Sam Shepard, and Dylan McDermott. The film is an enduring "new classic" and has remained watchable, quotable, and relatable for over two decades.
So, of course it's being remade. This time around, the film has been adapted by screenwriter Sally Robinson and director Kenny Leon, both TV movies veterans, which will certainly come in handy for the film, which is set to be an "original" Lifetime television movie. While a remake of "Steel Magnolias" might seem totally unnecessary, Leon's project will surely benefit from its somewhat inspired gimmick - it features an all-black cast, including Queen Latifah, Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad, Jill Scott, Adepero Oduye, and Condola Rashad (Phylicia's daughter).
Beyond that change, however, it appears that this round of "Steel Magnolias" is just about the exact same movie as the 1989 version, so it's lucky then that they have that special casting hook to attempt to set it apart from the original. And, Queen Latifah, talent that you are, you are no Sally Field.
Check out the first teaser trailer for the new "Steel Magnolias" over at Lifetime.
28Comments
Jul 5, 2012 8:03PM
I'm sorry when you have an Oscar winning story such as this you leave it alone!!! As it states in this write up it's "totally unnecessary" . The only thing that I'm sure a lot of people would like to see I'm sure is part two. It doesn't matter who you put in the roles for this classic film it could never be the same and have the same depth as the original EVER! Nothing could be like the first one. You don't touch Gone with the Wind do you? Of course not .. it just can't be duplicated ... Stupid move ... totally
Jul 5, 2012 6:45PM
No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Jul 5, 2012 8:42PM
I'm from Louisiana and live less than 45 minutes from Natchitoches, the town where this movie was made and the Harding family is from. This is a true story based on a white family, remaking this movie makes this a fictional story no matter how true to the story line they follow. What is the purpose of remaking it? Although, I love the cast in the remake, it will be a flop, no one can ever replace the original cast members especially one fictionally based. Sorry, this movie is a waste of time and money.
Jul 5, 2012 6:31PM
This is really a shallow idea. I am not being racist either. I prefer the original 1989 classic of
"Steel Magnolias" with Sally Field. And now a made for cable version with all black actresses?
First Lifetime does an unnecessary movie about Elizabeth Taylor with Lindsay Lohan and
now this monstrosity. I'll p**** Latifah is a fine actress, but her talents are wasted in
this.
A few years ago, "The Disney Channel" (long before Miley Cyrus and her nontalented bunch
ruined it) did movie called "Polly" which starred Keisha Knight Pulliam (of "The Cosby Show").
This was a remake of the 1960 classic "Pollyanna" which starred Hayley Mills.
Jul 5, 2012 8:42PM
Jul 5, 2012 8:16PM
Jul 5, 2012 11:16PM
Jul 5, 2012 11:04PM
Jul 5, 2012 11:23PM
What a disgrace. No reverence for the 'REAL' people whose lives this story was written about. They were white people - like it or not. Their story was told in the original film - this is just a mockery. Should we make a movie about Rosa Parks and cast a white woman in the role? Should we make a movie about Michael Jackson's life and career and cast a bunch of white kids to play Michael and his brothers?! Any film about a black person, be it Rosa Parks, Michael Jackson, or anyone else, would lose ALL integrity if that were allowed to happen. I daresay black people would be highly offended if it happened, and rightfully so. This is an affront to the white family the story is about - and to white people in general. This was our story to tell, to cry over, to celebrate the humanity of it all. We don't 'remake' black stories with white actors - try something original rather than being a bunch of posers. Rodney King (may he rest in peace) just passed away. Shall we do a biography with an all white cast as a memorial?!?!? Offensive idea, isn't it?
Apr 24, 2013 6:55PM
Jul 12, 2012 7:45AM
Jul 6, 2012 12:32AM
I'll adtmit that I'm not particularly a fan of the original movie, nor or of the play on which it was based (and in which every community theatre actress, especially those "of a certain age", always long with all their hearts to appear.) Having said that, I agree that most remakes of such successful works are totally unnecessary, and some border on sacrilege. However, Harling has to have signed off on this project at some point; otherwise, it could not be done. So, to those of you who are saying it is disrespecting the real-life family whose story this is, I say lighten up! Your objections sound like racism. Plus, knowing this is a Lifetime movie, if the cast wasn't African-American, they'd want it to star the likes of Bristol Palin and Kim Kardashian.
Jul 6, 2012 2:52PM
Jul 6, 2012 12:14PM
I cannot believe they are going to remake Steel Magnolias and with an all black cast for that matter. Don't get me wrong Queen Latifah is a good actress, but they cannot possibly be considering to remake such a classic movie as Steel Magnolias and with an all black cast. The cast should be white and not for racial issues. Thats too big a difference from the original 1989 movie with Sally Field.
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