(Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
Exceptional actresses Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling star as the three mystical Mrs.’s in Walt Disney Pictures’ epic adventure A Wrinkle in Time (in Philippine cinemas March 14).
Mrs. Which (Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Witherspoon) and Mrs. Who (Kaling) are the three visitors born of stardust who are now pure light and have come to Earth in human form to shower Meg (Storm Reid) with wisdom and love as she searches for her father. Each is of significant importance in author Madeleine L’Engle’s novel, and as brilliantly fleshed out in the screenplay brings even more to the story. Says director Ava DuVernay, “We all have Mrs.’s in our lives. The Mrs.’s represent our instincts, our imagination, our education and our experience, all of these intangibles, and if you hone in on the best of yourself and listen to that, then you give yourself permission to be on the journey you should be on.”
DuVernay always envisioned Oprah Winfrey as Mrs. Which, the oldest and most knowledgeable of the three Mrs.’s. Along with Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who, they are self-proclaimed warriors who strive to protect all that is good and bright in the universe.
Says Winfrey, “Mrs. Which has been around for millennia. She is an angelic cosmic being who has complete empathy and connection to all humans and is one with the universe. She understands that love and light is all that ma ers and journeys throughout the universe to spread that message.”
For the role of Mrs. Whatsit, the second ethereal guide who has journeyed to Earth, the filmmakers were looking to cast someone charming, delightful and funny—all words that describe Reese Witherspoon. The actor and producer, whose credits range from “Legally Blonde” and “Walk the Line” to “Big Little Lies” and “Wild,” was a huge fan of the book as a child and was thrilled when off ered the role of the youthful and free-spirited Mrs. Whatsit.
In describing her character, a star who gave up her existence in order to fight the darkness, Witherspoon says, “Mrs. Whatsit is the youngest of the three Mrs.’s…she’s only 2 billion years old. This is her first mission as a guide traveling the universe fighting for light and goodness in people and humanity, but she is new to Earth and not used to being in a human form and is very curious.”
Comedienne-actor-writer Mindy Kaling (“The Office,” “The Mindy Project,” “Inside Out”) plays the third astral guide, Mrs. Who, a character who represents a melting pot of the world we live in, both historically and in today’s modern mes. The quietest of the group, Mrs. Who has adopted the language of some of the greatest spiritual warriors as a means of communication, speaking in proverbs and quotes from the likes of Shakespeare, Churchill and Buddha.
Says Kaling, “Mrs. Who is a very mysterious character because she speaks through other people’s words and sentiments, and for someone like me who is very expressive and always has a lot to say and a lot of opinions, it was a really challenging role to play. It also meant I wasn’t able to improvise on set, which is one of the fi rst mes that has ever happened.”
A Wrinkle in Time is an epic adventure that takes audiences across dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light, good versus evil and, ultimately, the triumph of love. Through one girl’s transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we discover that strength comes from embracing one’s individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one’s own light.
A Wrinkle in Time is distributed by The Walt Disney Company (Philippines). For more information, check out the film’s website and Mobile site at disney.com/wrinkleintime. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WrinkleinTime. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WrinkleinTime and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrinkleintime/ and use the Hashtag: #WrinkleinTime
