Monster is now streaming on Netflix. Based upon Walter Dean Myers’ 1999 novel of the same name, it follows the trial of Steve Harmon, a model youth that gets accused of participating in an armed robbery that left a convenience owner dead. It’s up to the viewer and the jury to determine Harmon’s guilt with their own biases coloring their perception.
Since Monster spotlights several systemic issues with the legal system and racism, star Jennifer Hudson, who plays Harmon’s mother, believes that the film is releasing at the right time with an impactful message.
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“I think the timing is just right,” said Hudson told ComingSoon.net about Monster releasing in 2021. “I think it’s the time when we’re all still. It cannot be missed, and it’s a message that definitely needs to be heard, you know? With so many things like it happening as we speak, it’s necessary right now.”
The film features several emotional scenes in a courtroom, where Hudson’s performance shines alongside her on-screen husband in Jeffrey Wright. Being a mother herself, she was able to relate to the role.
“I can relate to the court scene for many reasons,” Hudson explained. “Then obviously having a son and imagining… Not wanting to imagine him being in that position, but even on set, we felt like a family. So it’s like it came, I want to say naturally, and I just tried to be present in the moment and react instead of act.”
VIDEO: Interview: Jennifer Hudson and Jeffrey Wright Discuss Netflix’s Monster
Monster is streaming now on Netflix.
