The Help, the blockbuster film about black maids in the 1960s and the white families they served, has landed five nominations for the upcoming Golden Globe Awards, including in the category of best motion picture drama.
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Since none of the nods are for "least accurate," "most sugarcoated depiction of African-American history" or "best effort to be offensive," it's safe to say that members of the Association of Black Women Historians weren't asked to cast a vote. Earlier this year they wrote an open letter to fans of The Help, arguing that it distorted, ignored and trivialized the experiences of black domestic workers.
Also not casting a vote, of course, was Ableen Cooper, who worked for the family of Help author Kathryn Stockett. She filed — and lost — a lawsuit claiming that the maid Aibileen's character in the film was an unauthorized and unflattering representation of her.
In addition to the best drama nomination, Viola Davis is up for best actress in a drama, and Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer are competing for best supporting actress in a motion picture. The Golden Globe awards will be handed out Jan. 15 at the Beverly Hilton, and the gala will be broadcast on NBC.
Read about the rest of the nominations here.
Read more at Variety and the New York Times.
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