With The Help opening up to a strong-enough critical reception and a surprisingly hefty box office take, it seems like a no-brainer that the already Oscar-nominated Viola Davis (Doubt) — along with, perhaps, other members of The Help‘s distinguished cast — will be a major presence in the upcoming awards season. Such an accomplishment, however, is not keeping Davis‘ eyes from glancing into the future. She’s currently optioning the rights to The Personal History of Rachel DuPree, a 2008 novel by Ann Weisgarber. Davis‘ contribution to the adaptation is currently just as a producer, but if things start heading in the right direction, it sounds like another big-time role that she herself could knock out of the park. [EW, via The Playlist]
Weisgarber‘s novel follows “the titular Rachel, who falls for the son of a boardinghouse owner who agrees to marry her on one condition: she must give up her 160 acres from the Homestead Act so he can double his spread.” The story then jumps forward to 1917, when Rachel is “[pregnant and] living with her husband on a ranch in the west — as one of the few black families in the area. She struggles to keep her family fed while her proud husband refuses to move from the land, which is a source of a pride, to better care for her and her children.”
Clearly, it’s still quite a long time until this novel can reach the big screen, but Davis‘ obvious passion for the project is an encouraging sign. In fact, she’s even quoted on Weisgarber‘s website as saying, “The Personal History of Rachel DuPree is a John Ford movie . . . with black people! It’s spectacular! Really great! I can’t put it down. I’ve never read anything like it!” It’s hard not to get excited about an artist of Davis‘ caliber exhibiting such enthusiasm. Here’s hoping the adaptation process goes smoothly.
Have you read Weisgarber’s novel? What do you think of Davis’ involvement?