A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood director tells EW sweet memories of Fred Rogers' late widow.
“She was a real present person and you had to go real with her.
You felt like you were talking to someone you’d known your whole life.
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And she wasn’t going to let you bulls— her!
People somehow think that means he wasn’t real if he was kind.
But she was so real, so human, so down-to-earth, sowithyou.”
Heller says with a laugh.
We talked a bunch over this past summer when I was out in California having my daughter.
She was so concerned about the fires and whether I was safe.
She made me feel like family.
She sat with me, cried with me, and held my hand.
It was the most real, beautiful connection we could’ve had.
She was like, “I was married to a man who farted and thought it was funny!”
I think that’s admirable because, in death, we change who the person was into something perfect.
She was just so funny.
She was a real present person and you had to go real with her.
You felt like you were talking to someone you’d known your whole life.
And she wasn’t going to let you bulls— her!
I thanked her and thanked Pennsylvania.
She was celebrating and said, “All of Allegheny County is proud of you, Mari!”
I said, “I’m proud of all of Allegheny County!”
I need to hug her!"
I was keeping up with her in that way.
He says “anything that’s mentionable is manageable.”
But I also know Joanne is at peace, and I feel a sense of peace for her.
I’m so happy she got to be home [when she died].
It wasn’t a passing relationship.
The movie ended, and I got to keep all these wonderful people….
I gained family in making it.
