The Help (2011)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material.

Tate Taylor

Chris Columbus | Michael Barnathan | Michael Radcliffe

Tate Taylor

Music by Thomas Newman

Stephen Goldblatt

Hughes Winborne

DreamWorks Pictures | Reliance BIG Entertainment | Participant Media | Imagenation | 1492 Pictures

Distributed by Touchstone Pictures (US/France) | Paramount Vantage (International) | Optimum Releasing (UK)

United States

English

Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA

Greenwood, Mississippi, USA

Jackson, Mississippi, USA

AFI Awards, USA

2011 Won AFI Film Award AFI Movie of the Year Brunson Green, Michael Barnathan & Chris Columbus

Academy Awards

2012 Nominated Oscar Best Motion Picture of the Year Brunson Green, Chris Columbus & Michael Barnathan

2012 Nominated Oscar Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Viola Davis

2012 Nominated Oscar Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Jessica Chastain

2012 Nominated Oscar Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Octavia Spencer

Austin Film Critics Association

2011 Won Breakthrough Artist Award Jessica Chastain. Also for The Tree of Life (2011), Coriolanus (2011), The Debt (2010), Take Shelter (2011) and Texas Killing Fields (2011)

BAFTA Awards

2012 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Adapted Screenplay Tate Taylor

2012 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Film Michael Barnathan, Brunson Green & Chris Columbus

2012 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Leading Actress Viola Davis

2012 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain

2012 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer

Black Reel Awards

2012 Nominated Black Reel Best Actress Viola Davis

2012 Nominated Black Reel Best Breakthrough Performance Octavia Spencer

2012 Nominated Black Reel Best Ensemble Bryce Dallas Howard, Viola Davis, Ahna O'Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Sissy Spacek, Jessica Chastain, Emma Stone, Cicely Tyson, Aunjanue Ellis & Allison Janney

2012 Nominated Black Reel Best Film Brunson Green, Michael Barnathan & Chris Columbus

2012 Nominated Black Reel Best Original Score Thomas Newman

2012 Nominated Black Reel Best Song Mary J. Blige for: the song "Living Proof"

2012 Nominated Black Reel Outstanding Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

2012 Won Critics Choice Award Best Acting Ensemble Octavia Spencer, Mike Vogel, Jessica Chastain, Emma Stone, Mary Steenburgen, Allison Janney, Cicely Tyson, Ahna O'Reilly, Aunjanue Ellis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Lowell & Viola Davis

2012 Won Critics Choice Award Best Actress Viola Davis

2012 Won Critics Choice Award Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer

2012 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Adapted Screenplay Tate Taylor

2012 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Costume Design Sharen Davis

2012 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Picture

2012 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Song Harvey Mason Jr. & Thomas Newman (Writers) & Mary J. Blige (Performer/Writer) for: the song "Living Proof"

2012 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain

Central Ohio Film Critics Association

2012 Won COFCA Award Actor of the Year Jessica Chastain. Also for The Tree of Life (2011), The Debt (2010), Texas Killing Fields (2011), Coriolanus (2011) and Take Shelter (2011)

2012 Nominated COFCA Award Best Actress Viola Davis

2012 Nominated COFCA Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

2011 Nominated CFCA Award Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer
Most Promising Filmmaker Tate Taylor

Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards

2011 3rd place DFWFCA Award Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer

Golden Globe Awards

2012 Won Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Octavia Spencer

2012 Nominated Golden Globe Best Motion Picture - Drama

2012 Nominated Golden Globe Best Original Song - Motion Picture Mary J. Blige & Harvey Mason Jr. (music and lyrics); Thomas Newman (music); Damon Thomas (lyrics) for: the song "The Living Proof"

2012 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Viola Davis

2012 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Jessica Chastain

Hollywood Film Festival

2011 Won Hollywood Breakthrough Award Actress of the Year Jessica Chastain. Also for The Debt (2010/I), Take Shelter (2011), The Tree of Life (2011) and Coriolanus (2011)

Hollywood Film Award Ensemble of the Year Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney, Aunjanue Ellis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Cicely Tyson, Emma Stone, Ahna O'Reilly, Chris Lowell & Viola Davis

Image Awards

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Emma Stone

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Viola Davis

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television) Tate Taylor

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Motion Picture

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Bryce Dallas Howard

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Cicely Tyson

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Octavia Spencer

2012 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television) Tate Taylor

London Critics Circle Film Awards

2012 Nominated ALFS Award Supporting Actress of the Year Jessica Chastain

Supporting Actress of the Year Octavia Spencer

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

2011 Won LAFCA Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain. Also for The Debt (2010), Take Shelter (2011), Texas Killing Fields (2011), Coriolanus (2011) and The Tree of Life (2011)

National Board of Review Awards, USA

2011 Won NBR Award Best Acting by an Ensemble Mike Vogel, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer, Ahna O'Reilly, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cicely Tyson, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Sissy Spacek Mary Steenburgen, Chris Lowell & Aunjanue Ellis

National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA

2012 Won NSFC Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain. Also for Take Shelter (2011) and The Tree of Life (2011)

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

2011 Won NYFCC Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain. Also for The Tree of Life (2011) and Take Shelter (2011)

Online Film Critics Society Awards

2012 Won OFCS Award Breakthrough Performer Jessica Chastain. Also for The Debt (2010) and The Tree of Life (2011)

PGA Awards

2012 Nominated Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award Theatrical Motion Pictures Brunson Green, Michael Barnathan & Chris Columbus

Palm Springs International Film Festival

2012 Won Breakthrough Performance Award Jessica Chastain. Also for The Debt (2010), The Tree of Life (2011), Coriolanus (2011) and Take Shelter (2011)

2012 Won Breakthrough Performance Award Octavia Spencer

2012 Won Spotlight Award Jessica Chastain. Also for The Tree of Life (2011), Take Shelter (2011), The Debt (2010) and Coriolanus (2011)

People’s Choice Awards

2012 Nominated People's Choice Award Favorite Book Adaptation

2012 Nominated People's Choice Award Favorite Drama Movie

2012 Nominated People's Choice Award Favorite Movie

Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards

2011 Won PFCS Award Best Screenplay - Adaptation Tate Taylor

2011 Nominated PFCS Award Best Actress in a Leading Role Viola Davis
2011 Nominated PFCS Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role Jessica Chastain

2011 Nominated PFCS Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role Bryce Dallas Howard

2011 Nominated PFCS Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role Octavia Spencer

2011 Nominated PFCS Award Best Director Tate Taylor

2011 Nominated PFCS Award Best Original Song Harvey Mason Jr., Mary J. Blige & Thomas Newman for: the song "Living Proof"

2011 Nominated PFCS Award Best Picture

2011 Nominated PFCS Award Breakthrough Behind the Camera Tate Taylor

San Diego Film Critics Society Awards

2011 Won Special Award Jessica Chastain. Also for Coriolanus (2011), Texas Killing Fields (2011), Take Shelter (2011), The Tree of Life (2011) and The Debt (2010) for: the body of work in the last year

2011 Nominated SDFCS Award Best Actress Viola Davis

2011 Nominated SDFCS Award Best Ensemble Performance

2011 Nominated SDFCS Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain

Satellite Awards

2011 Won Satellite Award Best Actress in a Motion Picture Viola Davis
2011 Won Special Achievement Award Best Ensemble, Motion Picture Bryce Dallas Howard, Viola Davis, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Mike Vogel, Octavia Spencer, Ahna O'Reilly, Allison Janney, Emma Stone, Chris Lowell, Jessica Chastain, Cicely Tyson & Aunjanue Ellis

2011 Nominated Satellite Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role Octavia Spencer

2011 Nominated Satellite Award Best Director Tate Taylor

2011 Nominated Satellite Award Best Motion Picture

2011 Nominated Satellite Award Best Screenplay, Adapted Tate Taylor

Screen Actors Guild Awards

2012 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Bryce Dallas Howard, Ahna O'Reilly, Cicely Tyson, Allison Janney, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Mary Steenburgen, Chris Lowell, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Sissy Spacek & Mike Vogel

2012 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Viola Davis

2012 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Jessica Chastain

2012 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Octavia Spencer

Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards

2011 Won SEFCA Award Best Ensemble Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Mary Steenburgen, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Mike Vogel, Allison Janney, Ahna O'Reilly, Cicely Tyson, Aunjanue Ellis & Chris Lowell

2011 Won Wyatt Award

Vancouver Film Critics Circle

2012 Won VFCC Award Best Supporting Actress Jessica Chastain. Also for Take Shelter (2011) and The Tree of Life (2011)

Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards

2011 Won WAFCA Award Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer

2011 Nominated WAFCA Award Best Acting Ensemble Jessica Chastain, Ahna O'Reilly, Sissy Spacek, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Lowell, Allison Janney, Cicely Tyson, Mary Steenburgen, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone & Mike Vogel

2011 Nominated WAFCA Award Best Actress Viola Davis

2011 Nominated WAFCA Award Best Adapted Screenplay Tate Taylor

Writers Guild of America, USA

2012 Nominated WGA Award (Screen) Best Adapted Screenplay Tate Taylor (screenplay). Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett

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The Help is a film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name. The film is Tate Taylor's directorial debut, and stars Emma Stone, Mike Vogel, Bryce Dallas Howard, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Allison Janney.


Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) is an African-American maid who has often talked back to her employers, leading to being fired multiple times and causing her to have difficulty finding work; Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) is a young white woman who has recently moved back home after graduating from college to find that her beloved childhood maid has mysteriously disappeared. These three stories intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help"; yet despite the intimate quarters in which whites and blacks live, there is always a certain distance between them because of racial lines.