June Squibb

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• June Squibb is an incredibly prepared and professional actress who memorized the entire script for *Nebraska* before rehearsals began.  Copied to clipboard!
• June Squibb moved to New York in the 1950s, finding it a vibrant time in musical theater, and she credits her late ex-husband, an acting teacher, with fundamentally changing her approach to acting.  Copied to clipboard!
• The conversation highlights that age does not dictate wisdom or current relevance, as June Squibb remains sharp, current, and aspirational, rejecting the stereotype of older individuals needing to dispense unsolicited life lessons.  Copied to clipboard!

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Will Forte’s Praise for June

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(00:01:11)

• Key Takeaway: Will Forte was initially nervous about the dramatic scale of Nebraska but was immediately put at ease by June Squibb’s charm.
• Summary: Will Forte met June Squibb shortly before shooting Nebraska and found her instantly charming, which eased his nervousness about the dramatic role. Forte was blown away by Squibb’s professionalism, noting she had the entire script memorized before filming began. He observed that June Squibb is very current and in the moment, not interested in being perceived as a source of unsolicited wisdom.

Will Forte’s Question for June

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(00:07:05)

• Key Takeaway: Will Forte proposed a specific challenge for June Squibb: answering her favorite food question in a public domain song.
• Summary: Will Forte suggested a question for June Squibb regarding her favorite food, adding the constraint that the answer must be delivered in song. The song chosen needed to be in the public domain, adding a layer of complexity to the request. Forte also expressed his aspiration to maintain June’s level of sharpness and activity at age 95.

June’s Early Career in New York

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(00:09:40)

• Key Takeaway: June Squibb felt she breathed fully for the first time upon moving to New York after training at the Cleveland Playhouse in the 1950s.
• Summary: June Squibb loved her early years in New York, which followed eight months at the Cleveland Playhouse. She and her first husband lived in an apartment later demolished for Lincoln Center, with rent around $200, which was considered huge at the time. Her first two decades in New York were spent primarily in musical theater, cabaret, and reviews, including an act with comic actor Barry Dennon.

Theater Training and Accent Work

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(00:17:10)

• Key Takeaway: June Squibb’s mother played piano for silent films, and June avoided piano lessons by playing with her feet, leading her mother to stop forcing lessons.
• Summary: June Squibb’s mother played piano for silent films, stemming from her family owning music stores in Vandalia and Centralia, Illinois. June actively resisted piano lessons until she was caught playing with her feet, which convinced her mother to stop the instruction. Her early Southern accent was significantly altered through voice lessons at the Cleveland Playhouse to achieve a more neutral sound for New York.

Broadway and Industry Changes

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(00:20:30)

• Key Takeaway: June Squibb performed in Gypsy with Ethel Merman, who would tell her dirty jokes right before she went on stage to perform her light bulbs.
• Summary: June Squibb felt she was in the right place while working with Ethel Merman on Gypsy, noting Merman was a warm, gossipy ‘housefrau.’ Squibb had to manually operate the lights on her costume, including bulbs in the crotch area, which required a heavy battery pack worn in the rear. Squibb and her dancer friends recognized that the industry has changed significantly regarding inappropriate behavior since the Me Too movement.

Midwestern Values and Longevity

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(00:26:02)

• Key Takeaway: June Squibb attributes her career longevity and success to Midwestern traits like forthrightness and ‘stick-to-stictousness’—the commitment to doing the job required.
• Summary: June Squibb agrees that Midwestern forthrightness means people say what they mean, often without softening the message. She believes this straightforwardness and commitment to the task at hand contributed to her long career. She noted that her accent sometimes reverts to a Southern sound when she gets tired.

Inside Out 2 and Nostalgia

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(00:36:05)

• Key Takeaway: June Squibb voiced Nostalgia in Inside Out 2, a character whose function is to remind others of positive past moments during chaos.
• Summary: June Squibb played the character Nostalgia in Inside Out 2, who appears during chaotic moments to encourage reflection on better times. Squibb admitted she is not a nostalgic person, preferring to focus on ‘what’s next’ in her career. She believes this forward-looking attitude has significantly contributed to her professional longevity.

About Schmidt and Nebraska Casting

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(00:45:06)

• Key Takeaway: Margot Martindale initially told June Squibb she should play the role in Nebraska because Martindale herself was too young for the part.
• Summary: Margot Martindale encouraged June Squibb to pursue the role in Nebraska after receiving the script but feeling she was too young. Both Alexander Payne for About Schmidt and Nebraska initially resisted casting Squibb, believing she was too similar to her previous character in About Schmidt. In both cases, persistent agents led the directors to request a tape, after which they immediately recognized Squibb was the right fit.

Working with Co-stars and Young Talent

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(00:47:25)

• Key Takeaway: June Squibb immediately recognized Philip Seymour Hoffman’s future stardom after working with him on Son of a Woman.
• Summary: June Squibb found Will Forte wonderful but noted he was initially nervous about performing dramatically in Nebraska. She considers Richard Rowntree, Fred, and Jack Nicholson excellent scene partners who treated her as an equal. Squibb recalled telling people immediately after filming Son of a Woman that Philip Seymour Hoffman was going to be a huge star, despite him not being the most outwardly pushing actor on set.

Dating and Friendships in Later Life

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(00:53:10)

• Key Takeaway: June Squibb found dating in her 80s uninteresting and credits close, long-standing female friendships for providing necessary mental excitement and connection to her history.
• Summary: June Squibb dated briefly in her 80s but stopped because no one excited her, and she remained busy working. She emphasizes the importance of her close female friendships for mental stimulation and having people who understand her long history. Squibb enjoys watching Saturday Night Live and likes sketch comedy, having worked with Ruth Buzzy in reviews and on a cruise ship.