# The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat is a 2024 American drama film directed by Tina Mabry and written by Mabry and Cee Marcellus. It is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Edward Kelsey Moore. The movie stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, Uzo Aduba, Mekhi Phifer, Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Russell Hornsby.
The film was released on Hulu in the United States by Searchlight Pictures on August 23, 2024,

## Premise

Three best friends who call themselves "The Supremes" have experienced life together through the good and bad, and are now finding their friendship tested. This is not the music group The Supremes is mistaken for.

## Cast

* Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Odette
** Kyanna Simone as Young Odette
*** Zayana Willow Dukes as Baby Odette
* Sanaa Lathan as Barbara Jean
** Tati Gabrielle as Young Barbara Jean
* Uzo Aduba as Clarice
** Abigail Achiri as Young Clarice
* Mekhi Phifer as James Henry
** Dijon Means as Young James
* Julian McMahon as Ray "Chick" Carlson
** Ryan Paynter as Young Ray
* Vondie Curtis-Hall as Lester
** Cleveland Berto as Young Lester
* Russell Hornsby as Richmond
** Xavier Mills as Young Richmond
* Donna Biscoe as Minnie
* Tony Winters as Big Earl
* Jason Turner as Lil' Earl

## Production

In December 2020, an adaptation of Edward Kelsey Moore's novel The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat was in development, which was to be directed by Tina Mabry, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Gina Prince-Bythewood. Cee Marcellus would eventually be credited on the film's screenplay with Mabry. It was a co-production of Searchlight Pictures and Temple Hill Entertainment. It was announced in July 2022 that Uzo Aduba, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Sanaa Lathan were cast to star in the film. In September, Russell Hornsby was added to the cast, with Mekhi Phifer joining the follow month. In October 2022, Kyanna Simone, Tati Gabrielle and Abigail Achiri joined the cast.
Filming began on October 12, 2022, in Wilmington, North Carolina. Production ran until mid-November. It wrapped up by November 11, 2022, with Dijon Means, Xavier Mills, Cleveland Berto, Jason Turner and Ryan Paynter having joined the cast.

## Release

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat premiered on August 7, 2024 at the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival. The film was released on Hulu in the United States on August 23, 2024. Internationally, it was released on Disney+.

## Reception
### Viewership

Luminate, which measures streaming performance in the U.S. by analyzing viewership data, audience engagement metrics, and content reach across various platforms, calculated that The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat was the fifth most-streamed original movie during the week of August 12–23, with 139.2 million minutes of watch time. JustWatch, a guide to streaming content with access to data from more than 40 million users around the world, estimated that it was the fifth most-streamed film in the U.S. from August 26 to September 1. The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat ranked No. 13 on Hulu's "Top 15 Today" list—a daily updated list of the platform's most-watched titles—on September 5, 2024.

### Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 65% of 26 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter said Mabry’s adaptation of Moore’s book effectively portrays deep friendships among older Black women, focusing on their reflections following the death of a patriarchal figure. Gyarkye found the film notable for its tender handling of the characters' personal and romantic struggles, with strong performances from the cast adding depth to its sentimental narrative. Amy Nicholson of The New York Times said The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat offers a melodramatic array of themes, including adultery, alcoholism, and murder, presented with a mix of humor and pathos. Nicholson stated that the film is engaging due to its vibrant portrayal of three friends, strong performances by the cast, and the film's indulgent, if occasionally over-the-top, narrative style.

### Accolades

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Hollywood Music In Media Awards | November 20, 2024 | Original Score – TV/Streamed Movie | Kathryn Bostic | Won | |