Robert said it was always his fantasy to have Steel Magnolias done again, with an all-black cast, set at a black town in the South. So it comes out of our love for great actors and for pieces that showcase these great actors.Ĭraig Zadan: We know Robert Harling, who wrote the original play and the original screenplay for the first movie. That, to us, justified why we should proceed with the project. I thought the only way that we could really tackle Steel Magnolias, which was so brilliantly done originally, was if we were able to bring something new to it. Where are the great roles for women? Our conversation naturally went to Steel Magnolias. Neil Meron: A while back, Craig and I were talking about things that we wanted to do. Gregg Shapiro: How did the idea of remaking Steel Magnolias with an African-American cast come about? I spoke with Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, gay executive producers of Steel Magnolias and recently named as recipients of the Visionary Award from the Outfest Legacy Project, about the remake. Robert Harling's original play is treated with respect in Sally Robinson's screenplay and doesn't shy away from the gay content, including Clairee's story about her gay nephew, "accent lighting" and gay men's names. Queen Latifah, who has developed into a natural actress, gives the performance of her career. This version of Steel Magnolias is as much about sisterhood as it is about sistahood. 7 on Lifetime, unobtrusively updates the story and features a stellar cast of African-American actresses assuming the leads.
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, "Drink your juice, Shelby?" Sally Field fussing over Julia Roberts as M'Lynn and Shelby, respectively, in the 1989 Southern comedic tearjerker Steel Magnolias? The new remake, airing on Oct.