A charmingly dysfunctional family. Little Miss SunshineAfter its release in 2006, it quickly became a beloved cult favorite.
The Oscar-nominated film features the Hoovers on a road trip they take from Albuquerque in New Mexico to California, following their daughter Olive.Abigail Breslin) qualifies for a beauty pageant. However, with every member of the family dealing with their own personal issues — from suicidal Frank (Steve Carell) to overbearing Richard (Greg Kinnear) and hedonistic grandparent Edwin (Alan Arkin) — the getaway doesn’t go smoothly. After arriving at the pageant with moments to spare, quirky Olive gives an iconic performance of Rick James’ “Super Freak.” Her family joins her onstage to the concern of the pageant directors and the delight of a few fellow weirdos in the audience.
Part of the appeal is Little Miss Sunshine was the dynamic between the various members of the Hoover family, which was a result of the cast’s strong bond. “I remember in rehearsal our directors were trying to establish a family dynamic, and they said, ‘Why don’t you guys get in the van in character and we’ll go drive,’” Paul DanoDwayne’s actor, he was recalled by a member of the audience during an October 2018 appearance The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Arkin and Kinnear argued immediately after pulling onto the road. Kinnear insisted that they wait until they reached their destination.
“Arkin was like, ‘At the next red light, I’m getting out to pee,’” Dano continued. “And Greg Kinnear ran the next red light. Not because he didn’t want grandpa to do it, but because grandpa needed to pee. [and]Just to piss him off. … And that was the family dynamic.”
Although the cast still loves working on it, Little Miss SunshineBreslin revealed in July 2021, that she has struggled with people to separate Olive and her. “Sometimes people forget that I’m 25 years old and not 9 anymore,” she explained to the U.K. news outlet iNews at the time. “People tend to want to keep you in one specific pigeonhole.”
She continued: “I don’t want to disrespect [Little Miss Sunshine]. It’s sweet in a way because I think people felt so emotionally attached to that role and to that film. They want me to play Olive. I understand that. I’ll always have a bit of Olive in me, but I want to try new things.”
Keep scrolling to see what Breslin — and the rest of the cast — have done since Little Miss Sunshine‘s release.
