Interviews With The Star, Filmmaker, And Casting Directors Of "Being Heumann"

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SPEAKER_2 (0:59)

You were listening to The Next Best Picture Podcast and this is Nadia Dalimonte's interview with the director and co-writer for Being Heumann, Sian Heder, Ema Sasic's interview with the film's star, Ruth Madeley, and Dan Bayer's interview with the film's casting directors, Adam Caldwell and Bernie Telsey.

SPEAKER_3 (1:17)

Disability is not a tragedy.

It is a tremendous hassle. Oh, thank God. Sorry.

SPEAKER_1 (1:39)

I have to pee.

Ema Sasic (1:40)

Hello, my name is Ema Sasic. I'm with Next Best Picture. Hello, Ms. Ruth. How are you?

SPEAKER_1 (1:44)

Hi, I'm well.

Ema Sasic (1:45)

How are you? I'm doing so, so well. I saw you smiling at the background.

What a pleasure to chat with you. Thank you so very much for your time. Congratulations on a lovely, beautiful, just all-around great film. I'm sure that feels so great.

Ruth Madeley (2:03)

It really does. It feels, yeah, we're so proud of it. And I'm just so happy that she's out in the world now.

Ema Sasic (2:11)

Yes, yes. I just got to see it yesterday. I'm so happy to get this one finally watched because I've heard so many great things about it. And really from those opening minutes, I just kind of love the hustle and bustle of this film and really never lets up at any point, which I'm sure lots of things to have to prepare for in order to take on this role. I guess I'd love to hear, at least from the behind the scenes knowledge with those opening minutes and the choreography that goes into navigating these busy streets and so many people. Can you tell me a little bit about that portion?

Ruth Madeley (2:46)

Yeah. I mean, the fact that they made Toronto look like a New York street, it was incredible.

And that scene, I felt, was such the perfect opening to really introduce Judy, because you know exactly who she is, the second, the fifth, that we see her in these streets. I loved filming this. We had so many like 70s cars and also incredible background. And we had my stunt double, who was going to be doing the bits with the cars and on the street. And I was like, no, it's fine. I want to do it. So I did it all because I truly wanted to feel the chaos, I guess, of those streets that Judy would have felt during that time. So yeah, Sian was like, we have a stunt double. I was like, no, it's fine. And I did it all and I loved it. And it really set the tone for me in the sense of who Judy was as a person, but also it set the tone for the movie. It was the perfect opening.

Ema Sasic (3:53)

I agree. I loved that point of view. I loved being in the chaos with you. I love that you said, no, this is my role. I'm doing this.

Ruth Madeley (4:03)

Yeah, 100 percent. 100 percent. Like with the Mack truck, when she stopped, they were like, you don't have to get too close. I was like, no, no, no, no, don't be afraid. You go and then you slam your brakes on.

Ema Sasic (4:15)

I love that. Very fearless. And I agree with you with it giving us that window into who Judy was right then and there. I think there's a really great quote that your character says about are people inspired or are they inspired to do something? And I think that that is a great breakdown of this woman because what does it take to step up to the plate, to really put yourself out there in a very tumultuous time?

As you got to dive into this person, her life and everything, what do you think really set her apart and made her that leader that she needed to be?

Ruth Madeley (4:55)

I think she, Judy had, she was 28 during this protest. So this film is a snapshot in time. So Judy wasn't the polished leader that she went on to become.