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The Secret Life of Bees

Year:

2008

Duration:

USA:114 min (director's cut) | Canada:110 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Genres:

Drama

IMDB rate:

7.3

Director:

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Awards:

12 wins & 16 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 2008-10-17

Filming Locations: Watha, North Carolina, USA

Earnings

Budget: $11,000,000

Opening Weekend: $10,527,799 (USA) (17 October 2008)

Gross: $37,766,350 (USA) (22 February 2009)

Cast

Actor

Character

Dakota Fanning

Lily Owens

Queen Latifah

August Boatwright

Jennifer Hudson

Rosaleen Daise

Alicia Keys

June Boatwright

Sophie Okonedo

May Boatwright

Paul Bettany

T. Ray Owens

Hilarie Burton

Deborah Owens

Tristan Wilds

Zach Taylor

Nate Parker

Neil

Shondrella Avery

Greta

Renee Ford Clark

Doll

Sharon Conley

Violet

Nicky Buggs

Cressie

Jasmine Burke

Sugar Girl

Emma Sage Bowman

Young Lily

Emily Alyn Lind

Young Lily

Addy Miller

Young Lily

Taylor Kowalski

Teenager

Bob Hungerford

Frank Posey

Richard Todd Sullivan

Mechanic

Chris Moore

Posey's Buddy

Bill Oberst Jr.

Sheriff Gaston

Cullen Moss

Young White Policeman (as Cullen Dean Moss)

Walt Elder

Driver

Dan Beene

Mr. Kirven

Joe Chrest

Mr. Forrest

Robin Mullins

Miss Lacy

Tom Conder

White Man #1

Jay Pearson

White Man #3

Dan Cox

Sheriff Brooks

Quentin Kerr

Police Officer

Kimberly Bailey

(voice)

Doug Burch

(voice)

Cathy Cavadini

(voice) (as Catherine Cavadini)

Lanei Chapman

(voice) (as Lanai Chapman)

Barbara Harris

(voice) (as Barbara Iley)

Amad Jackson

(voice)

Tommy Lamey

(voice)

Terence Mathews

(voice)

Jeremy Maxwell

(voice)

Alan Oppenheimer

(voice)

Richard Penn

(voice) (as Richard W. Penn)

Noreen Reardon

(voice)

Cheryl Tyre Smith

(voice) (as Cheryl Tyre-Smith)

Chevy Lamont Cofield

Townsmen (uncredited)

Linwood Mooring

Onlooker (uncredited)

Lindsey Sherrin

Teen (uncredited)

Matthew Landon Sparks

Teen 2 (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Jennifer Hudson said in an interview that director Gina Prince-Bythewood had sent her to a store to get several items and while she was there, the staff and the customers verbally and racially abused her. The incident was, in fact staged by actors under Bythewood's direction in order for Hudson to get the feel of a racially tense environment, the time and setting of the film, and to help her with her characterization.

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Alicia Keys learned to play the cello in 4 weeks for this part.

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Goofs

When Lily and Rosaleen are drinking their Cokes on the grass outside the Boatwright house, you see Rosaleen drink the last of the soda, but you can clearly hear the liquid flowing back into the bottle.

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Lily's knees are all red after her father punished her by making her kneel on grits. The next scene, her knees were fine. The scene after, Lily's knees are red again.

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The story takes place in 1964. Throughout the story, June wears a silk-screen NAACP t-shirt. Silk-screened t-shirts did not exist until the issuance of a patent for the garment screen printing machine in 1969.

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Quotes

Lily Owens: If your favorite color is blue, why did you paint the house pink?

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Lily Owens: [to T. Ray] My whole life has been nothing but a hole, where my mother should have been. It always left me aching, but I never thought about what it did to you.

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Neil: *Walks up to June who slowly rises from her chair* Hi.

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Faq

Why are there two young Lilys?

There are actually three young Lilys. Emma Sage Bowman's face shots were used in the actual movie. Emily Alyn Lind's body and hands shots were used in the movie. Addy Miller was also cast and filmed but is not in the final cut of the movie.

A Note Regarding Spoilers

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

Is "The Secret Life of Bees" based on a novel?

Yes. The Secret Life of Bees (2002) is a novel by American author Sue Monk Kidd. It was adapted for the screen by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who also directed the movie.

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