If you think The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat is about the iconic Motown group, think again. You’ll still want a front-row seat to this heartwarming tale. Delivering a rich mix of laughter, tears, and heartfelt emotion, the film centers on three lifelong best friends who have weathered every storm together. This isn’t just a story about sisterhood; it’s a celebration of the power of friendship and the complexities of life.

The story follows Odette, Barbara Jean and Clarice, affectionately known as “The Supremes”, played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa LathanAnd Uzo Aduba. Together, they navigate the often unpredictable and challenging realities of life. When discussing the film’s themes of strength and resilience, Lathan emphasized how these concepts resonate deeply with black women, saying, “It’s in our blood.”

Lathan further reflected, “While it’s such a beautiful thing and such a superpower, it can also be our downfall if you can’t be vulnerable and look at yourself and grow. When it comes to the women in my family, I’ve seen those relationships and for me, the friends in my life have been my lifesavers. I’ve personally seen a lot of addiction in my family and I understand that story very well, so to see Barbara Jean struggle with that and come out of it, in part because of her friends who gave her tough love, was amazing.”

Ellis-Taylor also shared a personal story that echoed the film’s themes, recounting how a friend’s encouragement helped her get through her heartbreak and attend an important audition. “A few years ago, I was in a relationship with someone, and someone else tried to tell me that this person was cheating on me,” she recalled. “I was devastated because the person who was trying to tell me this about the person I was with was sending me pictures. I couldn’t be consoled at that moment, and I was talking to one of my friends before an audition I had later that day. I told her I shouldn’t go to the audition, and she said, ‘Girl, if you’re not going to get up, put some clothes on and go to this audition.’ Because she pushed me, I ended up getting the part. My friend telling me to get up and take care of my business is a reflection of what these women mean to each other in the film.”

The film also highlights the men in these women’s lives, who play a crucial role in their journey. These male characters provide motivation and strength or challenge the women to rethink their dreams. Mekhi Phiferwho plays James Henry, discussed how his role affected him personally, making him strive to be a better husband to his partner, Reshelet Barnes. “A young black man growing up in the parliaments of our time, you’re taught to have a strength within you, and you’re taught terms like a woman should stand by her man, but we’re never taught to stand by your wife,” he shared.

“When it comes to James and his strength, it was him standing by his wife, not weak, but empowered and strengthened by the strength of his wife. Now you have a driving force, a couple that is anchored in their strength to grow and to be able to express that to the world and at least in their little town or whoever they encounter, whether it’s cancer, whether it’s negative forces, or whatever they’re together. Be a protector and a nurturer, but also be a listener, be a supporter.”

Russel Hornsbywho plays Richmond, added his perspective, saying his character “opened his eyes” to the ongoing work of getting better. “I can always do better, and I can always do more, and I can show up differently and continue to do better,” he said.

Sisterhood is a central theme throughout the film, and before Ellis-Taylor and Lathan share their thoughts on it, Phifer praised the atmosphere on set, noting that there was “no ego bullshit.” He explained, “There was no diva, no ego bullshit that you can sometimes see that inhibits and slows down or stops the chemistry — then you wonder why, as an audience, when you watch something, it’s so fragmented and you walk out of there with no conversation.”

“What I love about their camaraderie is that you can walk out of this film and actually have more conversations than you did when you walked into the film. Oftentimes, films today don’t have that energy, they don’t have that camaraderie, especially when it comes to women. I saw the strength and the power in these women, and that was a breath of fresh air.”

Lathan noted that despite a short shooting schedule, the cast felt a deep connection. “For me, when you work with good actors, they just come in, and when you’re standing across from them, you’re best friends — the history is there, and that’s what I felt with these women,” she said. “We didn’t worry about that connection because we knew we’d work it out in the scenes. It was a joy to work with them.”

You can now stream “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” on Hulu.