Todd Haynes is known for his extravagant films that leave audiences whispering and wondering about what it is they just saw on the screen, and his latest work, May December, is as fascinating as it is horrifying. In the film, Natalie Portman plays an actress named Elizabeth, who ventures to Savannah, Georgia to meet the real-life woman she’ll be portraying in an upcoming film. Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore) welcomes Elizabeth as she and her husband, Joe (Charles Melton), believe the film will portray their nationally-known scandal from decades prior in a more understanding light. Little does Gracie know, many people don’t exactly sympathize with a 36-year-old woman sleeping with a 13-year-old boy, even if the two did have children together and got married afterward.
The layered storytelling is shocking, but this synopsis was not fully created out of thin air. Haynes is talented, and his team of writers are brilliant, but some elements in May December are less fictitious than others. Portman, Moore, and Melton may play characters that are all battling and struggling with their own truths, but there is a true story that blew up many tabloids in the ’90s that ultimately lead to the creation of this film.
Find out if May December is based on a true story.
May December
- Release Date
- December 1, 2023
- Director
- Todd Haynes
- Cast
- Natalie Portman, Charles Melton, Julianne Moore, Andrea Frankle
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
Who Was Mary Kay Letourneau?
Mary Kay Letourneau was an elementary school teacher in Washington for seven years before she was found in her car with her 12-year-old student, Vili Fualaau. She was later arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree child rape in 1997. While awaiting sentencing, Letourneau gave birth to her and Fualaau’s first daughter. Initially, Letourneau’s six-year sentence was reduced to six months on the contingency that she would have no contact with Fualaau or any of her children — she had four other children with her husband.
Letourneau violated the order as she was caught with Fualaau in a car once again, weeks after being released the first time. She was then sentenced to the state’s maximum of seven and a half years in prison. Letourneau gave birth to her and Fualaau’s second daughter while incarcerated. Letourneau’s face was plastered on newsstands as tabloids were covering her story and showing everyone the sick monster she had become.
Mary Kay Letourneau’s Life After Prison
While Letourneau was sitting in prison, with all the time in the world to think about what she had done and put others through, Fualaau was growing up and struggling with everything that had happened to him. He was 15 years old with two daughters, and everyone in town knew his secret. One year after being released from prison, Letourneau and Fualaau got married and welcomed local and national news stations at their venue.
Some people called the pair “star-crossed lovers,” while others feared for Fualaau and called Letourneau a disgusting predator and rapist. Their popularity died down as the years went on, but some hosts and reporters were still fascinated for one reason or another by their story. The couple appeared on talk shows, gave interviews, and they even co-authored a book to tell their story. In 2019, Letourneau and Fualaau legally separated, and nearly one year later, Letourneau died after battling colorectal cancer. Fualaau and his daughters seem to have kept a rather low profile.
How May December Incorporates Real Events
While Portman’s character, Elizabeth, is truly made up, Julianne Moore’s Gracie is very comparable to Mary Kay Letourneau. Instead of the teacher-student dynamic that happened in real life, 36-year-old Gracie and 13-year-old Joe are co-workers in a pet store that get caught having sex in the stockroom.
Just like Letourneau, Gracie also went to prison, has three (rather than two) children with Joe, and seems to live a comfortable life despite the scandal and criticism. In both the film and real life, the scandal gained national recognition, but only May December explores what it is like to take the explicit actions of two individuals and create a movie solely based on the events following the affair.
Portman and Moore said their experience with this film is unlike anything else, as Portman is an actress playing an actress who needs to be able to portray a morally and ethically corrupt woman. Moore equated their interactions as “always doing everything in parentheses,” as there are so many layers of truth and secrets to be unraveled with both characters.
In the end, the question to be answered is this: Is May December based on a true story? The short answer is no, but a prominent character that propels the story forward was inspired by a real woman and the events that took place in her life. Stream May December on Netflix
