by Carol Badaracco Padgett
Georgia Entertainment watched Thursday night as filmgoers celebrated Georgia-born actors at the Atlanta screening of “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” at the Springs Cinema and Taphouse in Sandy Springs. The film, based on Edward Kelsey Moore’s novel and written for the screen by Tina Mabry and Cee Marcellus, tells the story of three friends – known as The Supremes – as they move from teens to mid-life in Plainview, Indiana (filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina), helping each other through the passage of time.
Decatur, Georgia-born actress Kyanna Simone shared a powerhouse performance in her portrayal of young Odette in the Mabry-directed film. Pre-screening, Georgia Entertainment reporter Carol Badaracco Padgett spoke with Simone about her character and the preparation for her role. “She’s a firecracker and she says exactly what’s on her mind, and she does all of that out of pure love,” Simone said, and she marveled about the experience of working with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who played Odette as an adult. “There’s all of these hundreds of films she’s been in. I did spend many, many days watching all of her work. It was the best refresher, and I’m just in awe of her talent.”
Two more Georgia actors, Dijon Means and Xavier Mills, attended the screening and spoke to Georgia Entertainment afterward about their roles and their takeaways from the film. “It’s a story of how friends come together, and it was fun seeing the younger cast and the older cast come together too during the filming,” said Means, who played young James, Odette’s love match. Mills shared, “I must tell you, playing young Richmond was an absolute joy. And to actually see it on-screen today – it was my first time really seeing myself on the big screen. Everything meshed so well … relationships and forgiveness are so big in this film.”
Simone added this thought for those yet to see The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, “The chemistry you see on screen, the laughs, the dance, that’s all real. It’s a testament to the human [connection]of the film.”
Catch The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, from Searchlight Pictures, in theaters August 16 and on Hulu August 23.
