Sweet Revenge: June Squibb and Josh Margolin on ‘Thelma’

At 93, she landed her first feature film lead role and is nowhere near done with the industry. Academy Award nominee June Squibb plays Thelma Post in Thelma, a fearless, stubborn, and badass grandmother who has been conned on the Internet. She goes to great lengths to catch those responsible as she refuses to accept the idea of injustice. Thelma, written and directed by Josh Margolin, was inspired by his larger-than-life 103-year-old grandmother. He brings an unlikely action hero to the audience and invites viewers to join Thelma in her journey through aging, increasing dependence, and the dedication to live a fulfilling life, regardless of what everyone else has to say.

Some of Squibb’s credits across 98 films and TV shows include Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence (1993), Woody Allen’s Alice (1990), Max Barbakow’s Palm Springs (2020), and Alexander Payne’s Nebraska (2014).

We sat down with Squibb and Margolin to discuss that very special bond between grandparent and grandchild, losing our independence with age, the vulnerability that comes from limited available public support, and how our grandparents will always feel ageless to us and perhaps even themselves.

June, how did you become Thelma, and what drew you to the project?

June: I got a script from Josh. Well, through Beanie Feldstein, because Josh didn’t know how to get it to me. Beanie and I have done a film together, so she said she would send the script to me. He texted me the script, and I read it and loved it. I remember saying yes right away.

Josh, was June your first choice to play the protagonist?

Josh: June has always been my first choice. Not only was I a fan throughout the years, but she also reminded me of my grandma. She has such a wonderful mix of toughness, vulnerability, and humour, so it had to be her.

It was lucky that she liked the script!

June: Very lucky!

Josh: It was a pivotal moment.

It’s not very often that we see a 93-year-old full of life, badass grandmother like Thelma be the centre of a film. Why don’t filmmakers take the risk more often to deviate from the formula and bring audiences stories with refreshing plots?

Josh: It’s a good question. I get excited by movies that take the risk. For us, there was also just no other way to do it. It was an ode, and I did not want to go halfway. I wanted Thelma to be someone like June, who has a career behind her and can own the screen. She has one of those faces you can leave the camera on, and you get all these subtleties and interesting results. It made a lot of sense at the time to instinctively follow. Sorry, I cut you off, June!

June: No, absolutely not! I am listening to what you’re saying! I think what Josh said is true. We must start looking for differences and things we don’t see every day. It has also been proven that a different approach works. Everybody is tired of films that tell the same, risk-free stories.

Despite Thelma being a light-hearted comedy, it touches on important themes such as ageism and losing one’s independence and autonomy with age. I don’t think it is discussed enough how becoming dependent on people affects us. There’s very little support for those who can’t or don’t want to rely on their families. The film reflects on this vulnerability quite a bit. Was this something you discussed?

June: I don’t think we talked about it. Did we, Josh?

Josh: We did, but not outside the movie’s context. We did discuss it on a scene-to-scene and character level. What was great is that you naturally connected with the character and her resilience. You have a lot in common with Thelma.

June: Oh, very much so, Thelma and I are truly alike.

Josh: You are someone who has a great sense of justice and wants to do things her way. There was an intuitive connection point. We also talked about knowing other people who need more help. Not everyone has the same needs, and old age is not a monolith. There are so many chapters.

June: It’s a different experience for every person.

Probably many other grandchildren agree that losing a grandparent or seeing them get ill is hard to comprehend. You always expect them to be around. It’s a different kind of loss but equally not an easy one. What would you say was an important takeaway regarding loss in the film?

June: I definitely had this experience with my grandparents’ deaths.

Josh: How old were you when they passed?

June: I was 12-13 when my first grandparent passed away and then older when the others.

Josh: That’s a hard age. So many things change for a person around that time. I lost my grandfather when I was in my early 20s, who was Thelma Post’s husband. We spent so much time together, so it was a big and long adjustment. There is something special about it, perhaps an intergenerational bond. You often spend much of your childhood being very close that person, so that loss hits differently.

June: Very much so.

It was great to see the connection between Thelma and her grandson, Daniel (Fred Hechinger). That special bond we talked about is reflected on the screen. How did you build this natural intimacy with Fred?

June: Fred is such an easy guy. When we met, we just immediately became friends. Our relationship grew as we filmed, and we hang out now. I consider him one of my dear friends. When he is in Los Angeles, he comes to see me, and when I’m in New York, I visit him.

He is an adopted grandchild now!

June: He really is. I saw his mother and dad at the New York premiere, and I said, you take care of him, but when he is in Los Angeles, I take care of him! They said that’s wonderful and they love the idea.

The film was a great success at Sundance. Why do you think audiences were so touched and pleasantly surprised?

Josh: I wish –

June: – you knew!

Josh: Yes! I hope that it might be because of what we discussed earlier. There are not many grandparent-grandchild intergenerational, almost like friendship stories out there. There is a way in which you can be pals with your grandparents but can’t be with your parents. We talked about the dynamic a lot with Fred. I suspect there are many ways people can plug into that. The movie holds a lot of truth in my life, so I hope that exploring some of those heavier ideas in a fun way takes people on an adventure and doesn’t shy away from talking about things that are maybe scary. That alchemy seems to be capturing or touching people.

June, what personal experiences did you bring to the film?

June: Everything! Everything that I related to. Certainly, a sense of justice. Regardless of the situation, I always want to make things right. Trying to make the world a better place is important to me. Also, age. Talking and thinking about age and what Thelma Post went through in the film. I can’t believe I’m this old, or I don’t think I remember becoming this old.

Josh: It doesn’t sound real. My grandma says that a lot. She doesn’t understand how she is this age. It doesn’t sound right.

June: I still think I am 35.

You are! My grandma also says that her last birthday was 27. She is 85 now.

Josh: It’s as if our minds know we are grown-ups, but we don’t understand what the number means.

Thelma is on VOD from 19th of July.