After years of consolidating his filmmaking imprint in Hollywood, renowned director Steven Spielberg is finally sharing his story for a worldwide audience. The Fabelmans is a semi-autobiographical project that showcases Spielberg's childhood uncovering the marvels of recording his own ideas with a camera and slowly progressing to share them with audiences. The film, set to release in theaters on November 23, had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 8. During a Q&A session following the film's screening, the director talked about the casting process to find the right people to not only portray him but also portray his family.
"Part of it had to be organic, and it had to be authentic to me. It wasn't really about anything beyond who can I have the most profound connection with and that reminds me the most of the people that brought me into the world and raised me and gave me good values."
After auditions and much thought, here is a handy guide with the people you will get to see playing the Spielbergs on the big screen.
Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman
Sammy is the protagonist and the fictional depiction of Steven Spielberg as a teenager. Like the director, the character is passionate about filmmaking and struggles to make his hobby a viable career path for the future. His love for directing his own films is also a leeway for Sammy to realize the differences between real life and what is captured on camera.
As a young actor in the making, this is Gabriel LaBelle's breakout role. His previous appearances in film were The Predator and Dead Shack, the latter premiering at the Vancouver International Film Festival. In addition to his leading role in The Fabelmans, LaBelle is also involved in Showtime's American Gigolo.
Michelle Williams as Mitzi Fabelman
Mother of three and a talented pianist, Mitzi Fabelman is kind and caring towards her family. Like her son Sammy, she loves observing the world through a creative lens and encourages those around her to do the same. Despite undergoing tough moments throughout the film, Mitzi typically tries to see everything in a positive light.
You might've first heard of Michelle Williams from back when she was still playing Jen in the teen drama Dawson's Creek. Since then, the actress has been involved in multiple independent films, including Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine, and My Week With Marilyn. As of now, the actress has won two Golden Globe Awards, one Emmy Award, and has earned four Academy Awards nominations. Maybe her take on Spielberg's mother could finally lead Williams to garner the long-awaited Oscar.
Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman
Burt Fabelman is Sammy's father and Mitzi's husband. Always looking for ways to become even more successful as a computer engineer, he is the most objective in the family and has a hard time seeing Sammy's work as more than a hobby. His contained and often rational point-of-view poses a bit of a barrier when creating meaningful connections in his household.
Playing Mr. Fabelman is none other than The Batman's Riddler himself, Paul Dano. The actor began his career on Broadway, before shifting to the big screen. Earning multiple accolades for his roles in Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood, and Love & Mercy, Dano has proven time and time again that he can tackle a diversity of roles, and his latest accomplishment in The Fabelmans serves as proof.
Seth Rogen as Bennie Loewy
Although he isn't a Fabelman by blood, Bennie is as much a part of the family as anyone else. A goof at heart, the character always brings levity to the room. However, what makes him approachable becomes the reason why he faces a difficult situation in the film.
Given his ease when portraying comedic characters on screen, Seth Rogen is able to use his comic relief as Bennie. The Canadian-American actor started off as a standup comedian before participating in productions like Freaks and Geeks, Superbad, and the polarizing The Interview. Most recently, Rogen had a starring role in the Emmy-nominated limited series Pam and Tommy, playing Rand Gauthier, the person responsible for distributing the infamous tape.
Julia Butters as Reggie Fabelman
Reggie is Sammy's other sister, and she is loosely based on Spielberg's sibling, Anne. Despite having a minor role in this project, she and her other sister are very much involved in each of their brother's homemade films.
Julia Butters might be a child actress, but in the few years she's been on-screen, she has already partnered with groundbreaking directors such as Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino. Her role in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood was what garnered the attention she needed to work with her dream director in The Fabelmans. According to an interview she did for the Hollywood Insider at the TIFF premiere, Butters was gifted with Anne Spielberg's high school ring to wear while she played the fictional depiction in the film.
Keeley Karsten as Natalie Fabelman
Natalie is Sammy's third sister, and like her sisters, she doesn't have many scenes in the film other than occasionally having a few sibling fights and eating dinner together as a family. Like Julia Butters, Keeley Karsten is a child star still at the beginning of her career. As of now, you can see her in the Amazon Prime Video original series Hunters, as well as in an upcoming film set to come out in the second half of 2022 called Entanglement.
Jeannie Berlin as Haddash Fabelman
Always making observations about the food Mitzi makes and Bennie's constant presence in the Fabelman house, Haddash is the young director's paternal grandmother. Although Jeannie Berlin's character only graces viewers with her presence during the family gathering moments in the film, she is still a cherished character. The actress is better known for her role in The Heartbreak Kid, which led her to earn one Golden Globe and one Academy Award nomination. She has also participated in other productions such as Café Society, Inherent Vice, and The Night Of.
Judd Hirsch as Uncle Boris
Uncle Boris is Mitzi's estranged uncle, who worked many years at the circus. Despite not having a major role in the film, Uncle Boris gives Sammy memorable advice, that the boy carries on in his future filmmaking ventures. Judy Hirsch plays the character in The Fabelmans, and he is popularly known for multiple tv projects including Taxi, Dear John and Numb3rs.