Actors, Creators Reveal How Steven Spielberg’s Life Shaped ‘The Fabelmans’

Written by Daniel Broadway

(Reuters) – American director Steven Spielberg walked the red carpet in Los Angeles on Sunday with the cast and creators of his semi-biographical film “The Fabelmans” from Universal Films.

The film follows the fictional character Sammy Fabelman, loosely based on Spielberg as a young man, as he fuels a love of cinema and discovers a dark family secret that changes the way he sees the world.

The Fabelmans was co-written and produced by Tony Kushner and stars Gabrielle Labelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Ox Fegley and more.

“Steven was always there to say, ‘My mom wouldn’t do that,'” Kushner told Reuters.

“I didn’t want to pressure him into doing something he felt was wrong about his family, because that was so important to him.”

However, he felt that not being part of the Spielberg family allowed him to use his tools as a writer to ensure that the film fit in with the director’s life, as well as the many families of all kinds and stories.

Oakes Fegley, who plays high school bully Chad Thomas, said, “What makes this movie so important to him (Spielberg) and everyone who is going to watch it is that this is the first movie that I think Stephen made based on his own life and incorporating elements of his character not just in The filming process, but also the story.”

The complexity of Sammy’s family, which reflects Spielberg’s real life, is the main focus of the film.

Actress Michelle Williams, who plays Sammy Mitzi’s mother Fabelmann, explained that Mitzi, as a mother, views her children as individuals.

“She sees something strange and wonderful about her son (Sammy) and while it might expose the family to embarrassment or disagreement, she welcomes and encourages him,” Williams said.

“The Fabelmans” is set to hit US theaters on November 11, after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.