Literary icon Judy Blume has been in the public eye for more than 50 years, but lately shes been posing for even more cameras than usual.
For the past few months, Blume has been everywhere from the red carpet premiere of the feature adaptation of her 1970 classic Are You There God? Its Me Margaret in Los Angeles last week, to Varietys Power of Women ceremony in New York City, where she was honored earlier this month. But on Monday night in Studio City, Calif., it was Blumes husband George Cooper on the other side of a cell phone camera lens. As Blume was introduced to an eager (and pink-masked) crowd by 16-year-old Annabelle Chang, who owns Annabelles Book Club LA, Cooper sprang from his seat behind the desk to capture the moment on his cell phone.
Amid the applause from the audience, Blume made her way to her seat for a discussion about the Prime Video documentary Judy Blume Forever, joined by the films directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok. The QA, moderated by Chang, followed a special screening of the film now streaming on Prime Video which chronicles Blumes life and career, exploring how her books ushered in the YA genre and made a profound impact on readers of all ages.
It was Pardo who initially approached Blume about making the documentary, an ask that the author says shed never gotten before. As for why she agreed, Blume explained, It seemed to me then, that if I didnt do this in my life, somebody was going to do it after, in my after lifetime. And wouldnt it be better, for me, if I was here to tell my story. I knew that I would want to be honest and open and here it is. I did it and they did it.
But that doesnt mean watching herself in the documentary isnt weird. I see the woman on the screen and I go, Who is she?'
While Blume mightve dissociated from the on-camera version of herself especially in some of the documentarys more intimate segments shes quite clear about the important themes Pardo and Wolchok wove into the film. For example, Judy Blume Forever not only chronicles Blumes rise to prominence as an author but the various challenges her work has faced by censors and politicians whove banned her books. Censorship is about fear, Blume said.
When Pardo and Wolchok set out to make the documentary, they always intended to include Blumes fight against the censors, whove challenged books like Are You There God?, Blubber, Deenie and the coming-of-age novel Forever But theyd initially envisioned it to be the historical section of the film.
Pardo explained: We knew books were still being banned and we knew we wanted to interview authors whose books were being challenged, but we had no idea where wed be right now. Things have exploded and it is so disturbing. We hope this film helps that conversation in some way, so that every kid, wherever they are, finds their Judy Blume.
Annabelle Chang interviews Judy Blume and Judy Blume Forever documentarians Leah Wolchok and Davina Pardo following a screening of the film on April 17 in Studio City, Calif. Victoria Sirakova/Getty Images For Blume, looking back at her books initial challenges in the 1980s is a reminder of how ridiculous and surprising it was. (Is puberty a dirty word? Is it a dirty subject? she remembered thinking. Do adults know this is going to happen to their kids whether they like it or not?)
And shes troubled to be back there now, but worse, much worse because its coming from government and legislators trying to pass insane laws trying to tell young people what theyre allowed to talk about.
As a longtime resident of Key West, Flor., Blume has a front row seat to these restrictive policies, which left her family with a simple choice: Run away or stay and fight. We all have to speak out or well lose these precious rights of ours.
When Chang replied that Blumes persistent fight against censorship is inspirational to her, the author turned the compliment back around.
Its people like you who give us hope, because youre the next generation and youre whos going to be most affected it, Blume told the teenager. So, youre the ones who have to speak out and fight the good fight. I know that you are already doing that.
Blume also revealed one of her favorite moments from the documentary, a line delivered by author Jason Reynolds. Reynolds co-wrote the 2015 YA novel All American Boys, which has also been challenged and banned in a number of states.
I dont think Judy Blume wrote her books to be timeless. I think she wrote them to be timely, Reynolds said in the film. And because they were so timely, they were timeless. Of his praise, Blume said, Thats the quote that I want for the rest of my life. That really got to me.
Later, the conversation turned to the more than 50 years of correspondence from fans that Blume preserved and are now archived at Yale.
Im a person who doesnt keep things. Im like, Get rid of it. George, my husband, is kind of a pack rat and he keeps everything. He still blames me for giving away his checkbook stubs from when he was in college, she told the giggling crowd, recounting a cute story about how her decision kept him from winning a debate about how much sweaters cost back in the day.
But those letters were too important to throw away. They meant too much, Blume said. I moved around a lot, lost a lot of home movies of me doing endless cartwheels at age 9 on Miami Beach. So I couldnt give [the filmmakers] any of that, but the letters I kept.
Speaking of impact, Blume also took a few questions from the audience, including a mother who compared the tears she shed watching the documentary to her daughters experience crying throughout Taylor Swifts Eras tour concert. Another query came from 17-year-old Shay Rudolph (Netflixs The Baby-Sitters Club) who asked for advice about finding her purpose as an author. Did you realize when you were writing these stories for kids that you were the voice for them? Rudolph asked. Or were you truly just pouring your heart out onto the page?
It was just pouring out. I didnt write thinking, Look what Im doing. Im going to touch peoples lives. No nothing like that. It was Please let something get published,' Blume recalled. Success came so late, very sweet and slow. Otherwise, it could stop you from writing if it comes really fast.
Judy Blume poses with Annabelles Book Club LA owner Annabelle Chang following a screening of the documentary Judy Blume Forever. Victoria Sirakova/Getty Images