Hitting theaters this week after making its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) from Sony Pictures is their upcoming film “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” the biopic starring Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers.
The movie also stars Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”), Susan Kelechi Watson (“This Is Us”), and Chris Cooper (Adaptation).
Marielle Heller (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) directed the film from a screenplay by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. The film is loosely based on a 1998 Esquire article and follows award-winning journalist Tom Junod (Matthew Rhys) who is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers (Hanks) but is doubtful of Rogers’ optimism.
Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is assigned to write a profile of Rogers, whom he long ago dismissed as a sappy irrelevance. From their first encounter, he’s forced to look closer. He’s surprised to see Mr. Rogers on the set of his show, gently showing his young viewers how to deal with real-life challenges, conflict, and pain. “There’s no normal life that is free from pain,” Rogers says simply. And as Rogers observes Lloyd, he sees the pain inside this hardened, grown man who has shut himself off from a lifetime of unresolved conflicts with his father (Chris Cooper) and wife (Susan Kelechi Watson). As Lloyd shadows Rogers, the shallow profile he was planning turns out to be a momentous and meaningful encounter for both men.
While promoting the film in New York City, Blackfilm.com correspondent Dorissa White sat down and spoke with director Marielle Heller, Matthew Rhys, & Susan Kelechi Watson about their involvement in the film.
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