Photo: David James/New Line/Kobal/ShutterstockMichelle Pfeifferhad some reservations about her part inHairspray.Forthe film’s 15th anniversarythis week, directorAdam Shankmantells PEOPLE that the actress received reassurance from her daughter Claudia, now 29, about playing Velma Von Tussle inHairspray.“Michelle brought her daughter Claudia to the read-through and maybe she came and visited once,“Shankmansays. “I know that was very emotional and very meaningful because Michelle was very on edge about playing somebody so blatantly racist.“He adds, “It made her uncomfortable a little bit, and her daughter really reassured her that it would be fine.“In the film, Von Tussle is the station manager at WTZT, whereThe Corny Collins Showis filmed. She pushes her daughter Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) into the spotlight and puts her antiquated beliefs on display.Shankman explains how the film’s message is the antithesis of Pfeiffer’s character. The movie follows plucky teen Tracy Turnblad as she chases big-star dreams while fighting for racial equality amid the turbulent civil landscape of 1960s Baltimore.Hairspray(2007).Courtesy Warner Bros.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.“Legitimately buried in the movie is just how wrong it is to hate on other people, so whatever that looks like. Tracy didn’t have the same issues as Seaweed. It’s a blanket message,” he says.He adds, “And then obviously, the ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ [song] is the optimistic look towards the future. You can’t stop change. Change is how the world works. You can’t stop time, as much as some people wish they could.“Shankman also opens up about why the film personally resonated with him.“The goal of the movie was just to get out there and spread pure joy, to express how I felt in life.… I always felt like an other kind of a teenage kid who didn’t understand why people didn’t want me to dance, maybe because I was gay or whatever it was,” he says. “So I poured all of that into it. And I’ve never understood prejudice. So I think we accomplished that.““And in all the years past it,” he continues, “I’ve had nothing but an endless stream of parents saying, ‘Thank you for making this because you’ve opened up a conversation in our house with our kids that has been incredible, and we’re grateful.’ So I don’t know what else I could ask for.“Hairsprayis available to own onBlu-rayanddigital now.
Photo: David James/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock
Michelle Pfeifferhad some reservations about her part inHairspray.Forthe film’s 15th anniversarythis week, directorAdam Shankmantells PEOPLE that the actress received reassurance from her daughter Claudia, now 29, about playing Velma Von Tussle inHairspray.“Michelle brought her daughter Claudia to the read-through and maybe she came and visited once,“Shankmansays. “I know that was very emotional and very meaningful because Michelle was very on edge about playing somebody so blatantly racist.“He adds, “It made her uncomfortable a little bit, and her daughter really reassured her that it would be fine.“In the film, Von Tussle is the station manager at WTZT, whereThe Corny Collins Showis filmed. She pushes her daughter Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) into the spotlight and puts her antiquated beliefs on display.Shankman explains how the film’s message is the antithesis of Pfeiffer’s character. The movie follows plucky teen Tracy Turnblad as she chases big-star dreams while fighting for racial equality amid the turbulent civil landscape of 1960s Baltimore.Hairspray(2007).Courtesy Warner Bros.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.“Legitimately buried in the movie is just how wrong it is to hate on other people, so whatever that looks like. Tracy didn’t have the same issues as Seaweed. It’s a blanket message,” he says.He adds, “And then obviously, the ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ [song] is the optimistic look towards the future. You can’t stop change. Change is how the world works. You can’t stop time, as much as some people wish they could.“Shankman also opens up about why the film personally resonated with him.“The goal of the movie was just to get out there and spread pure joy, to express how I felt in life.… I always felt like an other kind of a teenage kid who didn’t understand why people didn’t want me to dance, maybe because I was gay or whatever it was,” he says. “So I poured all of that into it. And I’ve never understood prejudice. So I think we accomplished that.““And in all the years past it,” he continues, “I’ve had nothing but an endless stream of parents saying, ‘Thank you for making this because you’ve opened up a conversation in our house with our kids that has been incredible, and we’re grateful.’ So I don’t know what else I could ask for.“Hairsprayis available to own onBlu-rayanddigital now.
Michelle Pfeifferhad some reservations about her part inHairspray.
Forthe film’s 15th anniversarythis week, directorAdam Shankmantells PEOPLE that the actress received reassurance from her daughter Claudia, now 29, about playing Velma Von Tussle inHairspray.
“Michelle brought her daughter Claudia to the read-through and maybe she came and visited once,“Shankmansays. “I know that was very emotional and very meaningful because Michelle was very on edge about playing somebody so blatantly racist.”
He adds, “It made her uncomfortable a little bit, and her daughter really reassured her that it would be fine.”
In the film, Von Tussle is the station manager at WTZT, whereThe Corny Collins Showis filmed. She pushes her daughter Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) into the spotlight and puts her antiquated beliefs on display.
Shankman explains how the film’s message is the antithesis of Pfeiffer’s character. The movie follows plucky teen Tracy Turnblad as she chases big-star dreams while fighting for racial equality amid the turbulent civil landscape of 1960s Baltimore.
Hairspray(2007).Courtesy Warner Bros.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.
“Legitimately buried in the movie is just how wrong it is to hate on other people, so whatever that looks like. Tracy didn’t have the same issues as Seaweed. It’s a blanket message,” he says.
He adds, “And then obviously, the ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’ [song] is the optimistic look towards the future. You can’t stop change. Change is how the world works. You can’t stop time, as much as some people wish they could.”
Shankman also opens up about why the film personally resonated with him.
“The goal of the movie was just to get out there and spread pure joy, to express how I felt in life.… I always felt like an other kind of a teenage kid who didn’t understand why people didn’t want me to dance, maybe because I was gay or whatever it was,” he says. “So I poured all of that into it. And I’ve never understood prejudice. So I think we accomplished that.”
“And in all the years past it,” he continues, “I’ve had nothing but an endless stream of parents saying, ‘Thank you for making this because you’ve opened up a conversation in our house with our kids that has been incredible, and we’re grateful.’ So I don’t know what else I could ask for.”
Hairsprayis available to own onBlu-rayanddigital now.
source: people.com
