Throughout his decades-long career, Steven Spielberg has worked on a variety of movies and has shared many different stories from sci-fi, thrillers, and adventure to comedies and drama. While the actor has shared that every film represents him in a way, there is one that stands out for its profound connection to the filmmaker’s own life and his love for cinema, The Fabelmans.
Released in 2022, the film follows Sammy Fabelman, a character based on Spielberg, as he navigates through family dynamics, friendships, and his passion for filmmaking. Spielberg has shared that working on the movie was deeply cathartic, likening it to a costly but invaluable form of therapy.
Steven Spielberg’s Therapeutic Venture With The Fabelmans
Steven Spielberg’s 2022 film The Fabelmans is often described as a semi-autobiography of the filmmaker, reflecting on his passion for filmmaking and its impact on his formative years. It also offers an insight into his family dynamics, exploring his relationship with his parents and siblings.
The motivation behind bringing this personal story to life stemmed from Spielberg’s own mother, who often asked him, “Steve, when are you gonna tell our story? When are you gonna tell my story?”
And he finally took up the challenge with the 2022 release, featuring stellar performances by Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Gabriel LaBelle, and Seth Rogan. In a conversation with CBS, he described the movie as a therapeutic experience, as it allowed him to share his experiences.
Well, it was cathartic for me, certainly — I never took it for granted. I mean, it’s a tremendous privilege to — it’s like making a movie, you know, and realizing with this movie, what have I just done? Has this been $40 million of therapy?”
And he shared that he took a different casting approach for the movie. While the filmmaker often looks for the best actors to star in his movies, for The Fabelmans, he sought performers who were able to embody the sense of the characters.
I was looking for great actors, but I needed actors that had already, in other films, struck me as similes for my mom and dad, and obviously, with less objectivity, struck me as similar to myself.
This approach made the casting process even harder. After going through multiple actors, he eventually found two suitable actors, Paul Dano and Michelle Williams, who played the characters inspired by his parents. And the filmmaker was very pleased with the results.
Steven Spielberg’s Familial Relationship And Filmmaking Journey
Steven Spielberg’s childhood was profoundly shaped by the supportive influence of his parents, Arnold Spielberg and Leah Adler. And the 2022 film explores how his upbringing has impacted the filmmaker. Born in Cincinnati, he was the eldest among his siblings.
His parents were always supportive of his ambition to be a filmmaker, but their family faced hardships when they decided to split. Spielberg has shared that he was 19 at the time and estranged himself from his father, believing he was responsible for the split.
However, they eventually reconciled, with Spielberg dedicating several films, including the acclaimed Saving Private Ryan, to his World War II veteran father. The Munich director also had a close relationship with his mother, who shared his passion for art. He has also credited his mother for his artistic inclinations.
The Terminal director also shared a close relationship with his three sisters, Nancy Spielberg, Anne Spielberg, and Sue Spielberg, who were often cast in his home movies. He nervously awaited their reaction during the initial screening of The Fabelmans. “I’ve never been so nervous,” he shared.
After their divorce, Adler married another engineer, Bernie Adler, as depicted in the movie. However, unlike the film, his parents eventually reconciled and remained close until Adler’s passing in 2017. Spielberg’s father, Arnold Spielberg, passed away in 2020, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape Spielberg’s life and work.
The Fabelmans is available to stream on Paramount+.
