If you’ve watched the Oscar nominated “The Fabelmans,” you know Steven Spielberg did an incredible job bringing the nuanced details of his effervescent childhood to life.The veteran writer/director spent endless hours making sure what was seen on screen was accurate.
On mom’s bed. Left to right: Nancy, Sue, Leah, Anne, Steven. Family “schnuggle.”
Courtesy: Spielberg Family Vault
“We as a family, my sisters, Anne, Sue and I along with my brother were on joint chats, going over tons of memories so we could illustrate what life was like for us,” acknowledged Spielberg’s sister, Nancy, who talked exclusively with Jewlish.com.
“And then we worked with the set people to rebuild our homes even down to the wallpaper.”
Courtesy: Merie Weismiller, Wallace/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
From left: Gabriel LaBelle, Judd Hirsch in a scene from the movie, “The Fabelmans.”
Even the movie’s eating scenes had a rich sense of authenticity, as the family made sure to explain to food designers about a variety of delicious Jewish items. “Jewish food is more than just bagels, lox and latkes” Nancy asserted.
“We were telling food designers what our Shabbos meals were and our family’s favorite dishes. So whether we said, ‘you know, we always had challah,’ or tried to explain what a kugel is, we made sure they understood it. My mother loved salt– there was no such thing as a sweet noodle kugel, or anything like that in our house. It was fried onions, a ton of pepper and salt. Whatever my mom made you felt it. She did not make shy food, my mother.”
Left to right: Barnard Posner - mom’s brother, Leah, Jenny Posner. Phillip (Feivel) Posner, Nancy on lap, Arnold Spielberg. Front row: left to right- Anne, Steve, Sue.
Courtesy: Spielberg Family Vault
Along with her brother, Nancy and her sisters have been deeply touched by the response to “The Fabelmans.”
“I think that people who see this film connect with their own family complexities and find it cathartic in many ways. I've gotten more emails from people telling me their stories from their childhood of their parents; it hits a nerve.”
Recalling the scene where a young Sammy and his mom were in the kitchen, Nancy said the two were eating one of their favorites: salami scrambled with fried eggs.
“The salami would get sort of crispy. It's very funny, when she said, ‘oh no, I burned it,’ my mother burned a lot of things! But that is why we all loved burnt food! I never had rare meat until I met my mother in law! Because we thought crispy was wonderful. Toast had to have a little bit of a black coating on it. But we loved it like that!”
Growing up in Arizona, the Spielberg family didn't grow up kosher.
“We also used to eat franks and beans, as it was an Arizona food. We’d take vegetarian baked beans with hotdogs cut up in it or we'd have other stuff, that had a piece of cheese or there was bacon around it. And dinner often was Swanson's TV dinners, when my mom didn't want to cook. So we’d have all kinds of different foods, the kosher and the not.”
Leah (Spielberg) Adler with daughter Sue on left, Anne on right. Courtesy: Spielberg Family Vault
Michelle Williams, who also received an Oscar nomination, was fantastic as she brought Spielberg’s mesmerizing mom alive. In real life, Lee Lee, as she was known to her friends, was a fascinating woman, ongoingly inspiring both her creative family and later in life, with upscale clientele at The Milky Way, the legendary Los Angeles kosher restaurant she opened in 1977 with her husband, Bernie Adler.
Leah Adler in front of her restaurant, The Milky Way. Courtesy: Spielberg Family Vault
“She would go to the restaurant every morning even into her 90’s, and the kitchen would make her breakfast,” Nancy enthused. They would scramble her eggs with jalapenos. My little five foot tall mother, who was shrinking, would eat straight jalapenos for breakfast! I think it kept her arteries clean!”
Movie fans that visit the Pico-Robertson restaurant will be thrilled to see adorable videos of Adler, numerous photos of the Spielberg family and an assortment of movie posters which showcase Steven's epic movies.
The Milky Way restaurant. Courtesy: Spielberg Family Vault
Nancy is proud that decades later, the restaurant has continued the legacy her mom left behind.
“My mother and my stepfather Bernie, were trailblazers, they enjoyed expanding the palates of the Orthodox community who came in to try their internationally-inspired food. They helped to build a Jewish community, and loved being able to serve her favorite recipes. My mom was the hostess with the mostest, and everyone loved her. I think she would be delighted to see how we have evolved.”
An assortment of dishes at The Milky Way. Courtesy: Spielberg Family Vault
If you are in the neighborhood, definitely order Leah’s cheese blintzes and classic cheesecake! During Oscars night, March 12th, the restaurant will be live streaming The Oscars!
Lee Lee’s blintzes! Photo by Susan Hornik
Main Grapic Courtesy: Merie Weismiller, Wallace/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
From left: Paul Dano, Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, “The Fabelmans.”
