An Ohio University senior’s mother will serve as another’s mother in the upcoming film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Jennifer Enskat, the mother of senior Emilie Gray, will play the mother of Sam — the main character’s crush — in the film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 novel.
The novel is about a troubled teen named Charlie and his withdrawal due to the recent suicide of his best friend.
Enskat made a guest appearance in Associate Professor of English education Lisa Rice’s Young Adult Literature class Tuesday. Gray is a student in the class and because the novel is a famous young adult literary work, Enskat was asked to speak to the class.
One thing she discussed was working with Emma Watson, who plays her daughter, Sam, in the movie.
“When I first met Emma, she (was) so sweet and adorable,” Enskat said. “She ran over and gave me a hug. She then thanked me … (for being) a part of the movie.”
This is not Enskat’s first time in films. She began her career at age four in the television series “Romper Room,” and she was auditioned for Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
But Gray, who is studying creative writing, said her mom’s intensive work schedule did not affect her childhood very drastically.
“My mom would take me along to her auditions and casual shoots, so I got to see her do her job,” Gray said. “She made a sacrifice to be a mom during a time when she was actually starting to become well-known in L.A.”
Nathan Kelly is a student in Rice’s class and said he expects the movie to be relatively like the book because Chbosky had a large role in the production of the movie.
“I go into a movie, like the novel, with an open mind,” said Kelly, a junior studying English education. “I was relieved that Stephen has a bigger part of production, and that he got to have some say with what he pictured to appear on screen.”
hy135010@ohiou.edu
