Twelve Years A Quvenzhané
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 12:23PM 
JA from MNPP here. In case you fans of Beasts of the Southern Wild were worried that its formidable child star Quvenzhané Wallis was going to disappear the way formidable child stars sometimes do - especially if they're of color - you set aside your fears for today. The Playlist has word that she's joined the cast of Steve McQueen's next film Twelve Years a Slave, and also share that picture of her on the set with Slave's lead the wonderful Chiwetel Ejiofor. (He's so wonderful I even know how to spell his name without looking it up now - even Matthew McConaughey can't say that.) (Although neither can Quvenzhané just yet.)
Slave tells the true story of Solomon Northrup, a free man who was kidnapped and thrown into slavery in the 1840s. It co-stars McQueen regular Michael Fassbender, as well as (deep breath) Brad Pitt, Paul Giametti, Alfre Woodard, Garrett Dillahunt, Adepero Oduye, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ruth Negga, Michael K. Williams, Taran Killam, and as of last week Quvenzhané's Beasts papa Dwight Henry.
Unlike Nathaniel and oh I'd say 97.5% of the rest of you I personally wasn't sold on Beasts the movie, but I agree with the consensus that Quvenzhané was wonderful, and I'm looking forward to seeing her show us more in the future. Maybe she can tell Michael Fassbender who's the man.
Reader Comments (10)
I guess you can add "Paul Giametti" to that list of names you can't spell without looking up.
I'm only teasing of course; really looking forward to this. Steve McQueen doesn't get enough praise for being one of the better directors working today. Perhaps making a film about slavery will open him up to a larger North American audience? I certainly hope so.
I totally agree with your thoughts on Beasts of the Southern Wild, but I'm super excited to see her in the future. But really, is there anyone who isn't in this movie? I'm curious to see how big all of their parts are, they can't be big
Man... that cast. This is probably the most excited I've ever been for an ensemble. And something tells me this is the film that break McQueen's curse with the Oscars.
Ha MDA I meant to double- and triple-check all my spelling on the names too, and spaced! I knew bringing it up was gonna bite me in the arse. ;)
I'd love it if McQueen finally got some Oscar love. The lack for Shame last year was, dare I say it? a SHAME.
Saw "Beast of the Southern Wild" ... loved it ... however, the little girl is not Oscar material for me.... she was put into circumstances and the narrative was the acting.
Loved the movie, loved her, and I am beyond excited to see that McQueen has casted both Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry. I don't mind her getting accolades at all. There are several adult actors I can think of who have been nominated for a lot less.
I was sold on Beasts but not on Quvenzhane. There weren't many scenes that required her to do more than wander around and look at/hold things. The moments where she was given emotional material to work with were great for her age. The rest was covered with voice over that described how she should be feeling, not necessarily how she was acting.
But, I mean, she's 8. I'm teaching 8 year olds this summer. Some can't even tie their own shoelaces, let alone carry a whole film. Her presence onscreen was great considering her age. I'm curious to see where she'll go from here.
I really, really hope Ejiofor gets a lot of awards traction for this. It's a shame that he wasn't nominated for Dirty Pretty Things or Kinky Boots.
I'm excited with the difference between Cumberbatch's and Fassbender's (good god their names). One's a "good man", baptist preacher one is a bad and dishonorable man but both are slave traders.
I wasn't sold totally on Beasts of the Southern Wild either...until the lovely dance scene on the floating brothel. It may be the most affecting child performance in cinema since Victoire Thivisol's in Ponette.