Is The Help based on a true story? Here's everything you need to know

The Help features an ensemble cast of Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Allison Janney, and Emma Stone in the lead roles. Helmed by Tate Taylor, the 2011 period drama movie is based on Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel of the same name. It tells the story of a young white woman named Eugenia Skeeter Phelan, who aspires to become a journalist.

Set in the backdrop of 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, The Help follows Skeeter’s relationship with two black maids, Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson. To become a legitimate journalist, Skeeter plans to write a book from the maids' point of view and expose the racism that they face while working for white families.

Right after the success of Kathryn Stockett’s novel, DreamWorks Pictures acquired its right and commissioned the movie. Upon its release, The Help was well-received by the critics and the audience alike. It emerged out to be a huge commercial success worldwide. Moreover, it received four Academy Awards nominations and Spencer won the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in the movie. 

Is The Help based on a true story?

Recently, The Help has started streaming on Netflix, making it even more popular. The flick has become among the most-watched titles amid the Black Lives Matter protests. So, the viewers have been wondering if the story in the movie is based on real-life incidents. We have mentioned everything that you need to know about it.

Is The Help based on true events?

Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel told a fictional story. So, The Help is not inspired by a true story of an ambitious writer in the 1960s, who publishes a book with multiple stories of black maids. However, according to reports, an actual person claimed that one character in the movie was based on her. Although Stockett said that The Help is fictional, a black maid sued her in 2011, which was months before the movie’s release. Ablene Cooper revealed that her life was an inspiration behind Aibileen Clark’s story in the book.

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Ablene Cooper was a maid for Stockett’s brother and babysat her daughter once. She sued the author for the unauthorized appropriation for her name and image. Besides the similar name of the character, Aibileen’s life story mirrors her maid’s life, whose son died before Stockett’s first child was born. Reportedly, she claimed various similarities but her attempt to sue the author was not successful. Therefore, there has not been any legal proof about Aibileen’s story being based on real life. So, The Help is considered a work of fiction.

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