Entertainment

Emma Stone stars in civil rights film

Laura Donovan Contributor
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When she played an ostracized high school student in last year’s film “Easy A”, Emma Stone showed the world that her acting skills had matured since her days in crude teen comedies “Superbad” and “The House Bunny”.

The actress has proven her abilities again with her role in “The Help”, an upcoming summer film that deals with 1960s civil rights issues. The movie, an adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s bestselling novel, follows Stone’s character Skeeter as she explores prejudices against black domestic workers. After accepting a Mississippi newspaper writing position, Skeeter decides to explore and report on the hardships of black women. She also finds herself disagreeing with a friend who pushes for whites to have separate bathrooms from their black maids.

“These women raise white children, we love them and they love us but they can’t even use the toilets in our houses,” Stone’s character says of live-in black maids.

Authors of film adapted books sometimes express opposition to casting decisions, but Stockett was pleased that Stone had been selected as the lead.

“The minute I met [Stone], I knew I couldn’t see whatever Skeeter looked in my head as a blonde because she was replaced by Emma,” Stockett told People magazine last year. “She was so clearly that person. And her mom is from Baton Rouge, so she got the [southern] accent.”

According to Stockett, Stone has the same body type as Skeeter’s character.

“She’s so lanky, she’s all leg,” Stockett said. “I was really glad they were able to find somebody who had the height.”

[WATCH: “The Help” trailer]