‘The Fabelmans’: The Real-Life Parents of Steven Spielberg Reconnected Decades After Their Divorce
The Fabelmans was written and directed by Steven Spielberg and tells the story of his family and upbringing. The movie also touches on his parents’ relationship and the events leading to their split.
In real-life, Spielberg’s parents did get a divorce. But the two reconnected afterward and maintained great respect for each other.
‘The Fabelmans’ is loosely based on Steven Spielberg’s life
These days, Spielberg is known as the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind dozens of blockbusters movies, including Jaws, the Indiana Jones franchise, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and Saving Private Ryan. His passion for film has made him one of the most celebrated directors in Hollywood.
In The Fabelmans, the 75-year-old reveals how his love for cinema began. The movie is loosely based on Spielberg’s childhood and teen years. It centers on Sammy Fabelman, a young man who develops a strong interest in cinema as a young boy.
Sammy’s dad, Burt, is a brilliant engineer who thinks his son’s passion for film is a waste of time. But his mother, Mitzi, is an artist at heart who encourages Sammy to pursue his dreams.
Steven Spielberg’s parents found each other years after their divorce
Spielberg’s mom, Leah, and his father, Arnold, married other people after their divorce and outlived their spouses. Before they died — Leah in 2017 and Arnold in 2020 — the two reconnected.
“My sisters and I constantly marvel at the fact that very few kids get their parents back after a divorce,” Spielberg said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “And yet, we were able to get ours back.”
Academy Award-winner Michelle Williams portrays Mitzi, The Fabelmans’ version of Leah. When talking about Leah’s life and how it influenced her role, the actor revealed how Spielberg’s parents continued to care for each other after their divorce.
“[Leah] maintained a great passion and love for Steven’s father,” Williams told EW. “That wasn’t the end of their story, either. They found each other later in life.”
“She was just one of those people who could fit it all in,” she added. “And she could have passionate relationships with her children, with her piano, with her pets, with her clothes, with her husband, with her boyfriend — she could do it all.”
Steven Spielberg’s parents nagged him to make ‘The Fablemans’
When Spielberg’s parents reconnected, they agreed that their son should make a movie about their family’s experience. According to the filmmaker, they often talked about it with him.
“They were actually nagging me, ‘When are you going to tell that story about our family, Steve?’” Spielberg shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “And so this was something they were very enthusiastic about.”
The 75-year-old wasn’t sure if he would make the movie at first. But after talking to his sisters, and after both his parents died, he felt he needed to tell their story.
“This film is, for me, a way of bringing my mom and dad Spielberg told EW. “And it also brought my sisters, Annie, Susie, and Nancy, closer to me than I ever thought possible. And that was worth making the film.”
