Eleanor the Great: What You Should Know About the Real-Life Grandma Behind the Film

June Squibb in ‘Eleanor the Great’.
Credit: Jojo Whilden/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Key Information

• Eleanor the Great premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, was released in theaters in September 2025, and made its Netflix debut in January 2026.
• Scarlett Johansson directed the comedy-drama featuring June Squibb in the leading role.
• The character Eleanor is inspired by the grandmother of screenwriter Tory Kamen.

Eleanor the Great explores a web of deception that intensifies, anchored by a lead character drawn from real life.

Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut was unveiled at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival before its theatrical launch. The film, starring June Squibb as Eleanor, quickly climbed the rankings on Netflix following its addition to the platform.

The narrative kicks off when Eleanor tells a series of fabrications about her life, although her character is rooted in the real experiences of a woman named Elinore.

Plot Summary of Eleanor the Great

June Squibb and Erin Kellyman in ‘Eleanor the Great’.
Credit: Anne Joyce/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

The film follows Eleanor Morgenstein, portrayed by June Squibb, who relocates from Florida to New York after the passing of her friend Bessie Stern to live with her daughter. Shortly after her arrival, she inadvertently joins a group of Holocaust survivors, where she shares Bessie’s life story as her own. This leads to an unexpected friendship with Nina Davis, a journalism student documenting the group’s experiences. However, Eleanor’s deception begins to unravel, affecting her relationships with family and friends.

Is Eleanor the Great Based on a True Story?

June Squibb in ‘Eleanor the Great’.
Credit: Anne Joyce/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

While Eleanor the Great is not based on a documentary, the character of Eleanor draws inspiration from screenwriter Tory Kamen’s grandmother, Elinore, who relocated to Manhattan at the age of 95. Kamen clarified that elements of the film do not literally depict her grandmother’s life, stating, “I don’t want people walking into the theater like, ‘Wait, was the writer’s Grandma a psychopath?'”

Kamen’s grandmother passed away during the pandemic at the age of 99, with Kamen reflecting on her life as “great and long” and noting her independence right up until her later years. Notably, Kamen’s grandmother had a best friend named Bessie, mirroring the character reflected in the film.

Real Survivors in Eleanor the Great

June Squibb and Rita Zohar in ‘Eleanor the Great’.
Credit: Anne Joyce/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

In Eleanor the Great, while Eleanor fabricates aspects of her history, the film includes portrayals of Holocaust survivors. Rita Zohar, who plays Bessie’s character, was born in a concentration camp during the Holocaust and has stated that she owes her survival to the liberation of her camp when she was just a few months old.

Zohar, who has appeared in notable films such as Amadeus and Waterworld, expressed that her role in this film has provided her with a platform to share her story, emphasizing the importance of representation.

Scarlett Johansson’s Motivation for Directing

Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb on the set of ‘Eleanor the Great’.
Credit: Anne Joyce/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Scarlett Johansson’s decision to direct Eleanor the Great was also motivated by personal connections to her own grandmother. She expressed her pride in making a film that her grandmother would have appreciated, citing her unwavering support throughout Johansson’s career.

Johansson resonated strongly with Kamen’s script, finding familiar elements such as the significance of New York and the exploration of Jewish identity. She noted, “It feels like there’s pieces of everyone’s grandma in there,” further emphasizing the universal relatability of the character of Eleanor.

During the film’s promotional activities, Johansson discussed her familial ties to Holocaust victims, underscoring the depth of meaning behind the film for her and the relevance of its themes.