June Squibb Discusses Aging and Being Underestimated by Younger People

Famed fashion designer Iris Apfel once quipped, “If you’re lucky enough to get old, you should celebrate it.” Thelma headliner June Squibb (Nebraska) certainly is, although the 94-year-old actress may not think she’s old at all. In a recent MovieWeb interview, Squibb was candid about aging and some of the age-affirming themes her new action-comedy explores.

“People are so frightened of [aging], and, in truth, you can do a lot more when you’re older than you think you can or than many people think you can,” she said. “And I think that [Thelma] shows that we’re not to be counted out. That we still have a lot to do, and we’re still capable of doing a lot.”

That’s surely the case for Squibb, who may have just entered the busiest season of her profession, shattering stereotypes along the way. In Thelma, written and directed by Josh Margolin, Squibb plays a 93-year-old who gets duped by a shady phone scammer. Instead of playing the victim, she boldly embarks on a scheme to find the scammer and get her money back.

The poignant, upbeat film twists the action comedy genre, with Squibb emerging as a latter-day action star doing her own stunts — the woman is seen zipping in and around L.A. on a motorized scooter, thwarting danger along the way with the late Richard Roundtree (Shaft). Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus, S1), Parker Posey (The White Lotus S3), and Malcolm McDowell.

Watch Our Interview with June Squibb and Fred Hechinger Below:

June Squibb Reflects on Late Costar Richard Roundtree

Thelma (2024)

4.5/5

Thelma is a 2024 comedy film written and directed by Josh Margolin. Thelma Post finds herself duped out of money and more when a scam caller pretends to be her grandson. Unwilling to sit back and let herself be a victim, she sets off into the city to find the perpetrator and take back what is hers.

Release Date

June 21, 2024

Director

Josh Margolin

Runtime

1h 37m

Writers

Josh Margolin

Studio(s)

Zurich Avenue , Invention Studios , Bandwagon

Distributor(s)

Magnolia Pictures

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June Squibb, who nabbed Oscar, SAG, and Golden Globe nomination for her role in Alexander Payne’s Nebraska,had a ball with costar Richard Roundtree filming Thelma. Most of the film’s second half finds Squibb and Roundtree, who plays Thelma’s friend Ben, trying to pull off a Mission: Impossible-type mission in an attempt to bring about justice. The result becomes a fun romp that recalls other age-affirming films like 80 For Brady and Queen Bees.

Squibb salutes her intrepid costar, who passed away at the age of 81 in late 2023. Roundtree’s career spanned more than 50 years, fueled by a powerhouse performance as P.I. John Shaft in the Shaft films. He also starred in TV’s Roots, Family Reunion, and many more outings, often shattering, like Squibb, stereotypes. Of her costar, Squibb said:

“He was so great.
He was such a lovely, lovely actor. He and I just used to talk and chat. I loved him.
I just thought he was great. And we were all devastated by his death.”

Up next for Squibb: Lost & Found in Cleveland. The feature film debut from filmmakers Marisa Guterman and Keith Gerchak tracks five storylines at an Antiques Roadshow-style show when it arrives to shoot in Cleveland. The comedy, which touches on the post-Industrial American Dream, also stars Martin Sheen (Grace and Frankie), Stacy Keach (Blue Bloods, Man with a Plan), Loretta Devine (Kingdom Business), Dot-Marie Jones (Bros), Jon Lovitz (SNL), and others. Look to this space for updates. Watch the trailer for Thelma, which arrives in theaters June 21, below.