Eminem (Middle) and his followers on the New York Metropolis premiere of ‘Stans’. Picture: Jeremy Deputat.
Premiering on Paramount+ August twenty sixth is the brand new documentary ‘Stans’, which was directed by Steven Leckart and chronicles each the profession of rapper Eminem (Marshall Mathers) in addition to his relationship along with his followers.
“Your greatest followers, these are…”
Launch Date: Aug 7, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 42 min
Moviefone just lately had the pleasure of talking with director Steven Leckart about his work on ‘Stans’, the choice to deal with the followers, discovering them for the movie, working with Eminem, the legacy of the music ‘Stan’, and the second when Eminem turned the GOAT.
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‘Stans’ director Steven Leckart on the SXSW London Display Competition. Picture: Joe Maher/Getty Photographs.
Moviefone: To start with, are you able to discuss how this documentary got here collectively and was it your thought or Eminem’s to deal with his followers?
Steven Leckart: So, the venture predates me by way of the unique conceit, and Paul Rosenberg, who’s Eminem’s longtime supervisor and is a producer on the movie with us was an unbelievable collaborator. Paul has made it clear that they did not need to make something typical. They did not need to simply take a look at his profession and put him in a chair and inform his complete story. Paul has stated very clearly and stated this to me that the thought of doing that, I believe it is twofold. One, he is such an unconventional artist that to do one thing so easy could be simply not attention-grabbing, but additionally not very on model for them. I believe the opposite piece of it’s, and Paul has stated this, that aside from simply that is who he’s as an individual, you do not essentially do an entire retrospective of your profession and life if you’re solely in your early 50s and you are still placing out music and doing issues. The story’s not over. So why would you do this? So, I used to be delighted after I met them about 5 years in the past and that they did not need to do something typical. Then due to the music ‘Stan’ and the way in which it is impacted popular culture and turn into a part of the ethos, so to talk, they thought, ‘Effectively, why do not we flip the digital camera round on the followers?” As a result of if you realize in regards to the music ‘Stan’, it is written from a fan’s perspective. So, after I got here alongside, that was type of all sitting there, but it surely was like, “Effectively, how will we navigate?” I believe it is vital that we discover a option to weave Marshall’s perspective via interviews and do some filming, however the place’s the road by way of when it is him versus the followers? So, determining that steadiness is one thing all of us collaborated very intensely on collectively, and as a filmmaker, it added to the problem and that is why I used to be so grateful and enthusiastic about this venture.
Eminem in ‘Stans’. Picture: Paramount+.
MF: Are you able to discuss working with Eminem on this venture and what was it like to take a seat down with him and interview him?
SL: Effectively, by the point we sat all the way down to do the interview, clearly we might met one another and he is a producer on the film. It was a very long time coming. So, by the point we sat down, it was like I knew precisely what I needed to realize for the movie. We had already been within the edit. Once I met everyone, my promise to them was that we might be extremely conscious of his time, and we would not waste his time. That is not simply because I believe that is a greater option to handle the scenario. It is simply, as a filmmaker, I wish to be environment friendly. So, I needed to guarantee that what we did was we received lots of depth in as little time as doable whereas concurrently serving the wants for the movie to have some steadiness between simply being followers and needing his perspective. As a result of the movie, if you concentrate on it, could be very a lot in regards to the double-edged sword of the connection between an artist and the followers. So, to not have the artist’s perspective to return in and punctuate it at instances would’ve been an actual missed alternative. So, by the point we sat down, one, I would met him earlier than and we had, I believe from the start, a pleasant rapport. He is extremely humorous, sharp, witty, and all of the stuff you’d most likely anticipate. However what I discovered to be profound for me and really shifting, was the way in which he might activate a dime and turn into extremely honest, earnest and considerate. I believe that is what will probably be finally stunning to lots of people within the movie is simply how a lot depth is there. However in the event you go to the data, it is there. We simply do not essentially know that if you have not listened to all of the data or in the event you simply know the singles. It is within the albums. So, to me, he was precisely what you see within the film, and I am happy with that interview.
Katie in ‘Stans’. Picture: Paramount+.
MF: Are you able to discuss discovering the “Stans” to interview for this venture and did any of them alarm you?
SL: No, there was nobody that was scary to me, and there was no person that I used to be involved about being in a room with, partially as a result of we simply vetted individuals rather a lot on the entrance finish. We did casting-tapes and calls with individuals. So, we began with a hyperlink that went out over Eminem’s social media, which was implausible as a result of mainly we put out this hyperlink to a questionnaire and we introduced all of the questions. So, we have been in a position to type of undergo all of that and get a way of every particular person already. Then we additionally requested for a 60-minute video. So, then we form of culled from that. Then we labored with an awesome casting crew, and they’d undergo the stuff, they usually’d arrange Zooms with individuals, and we’d discuss each few days about, “What are you seeing? Who’re you discovering? This particular person appears charming. Okay, however have they got all of the story factors that we’re searching for?” The thesis in POV of the film is without doubt one of the lyrics from the music ‘Stan’, which is, “I am identical to you.” So, Stan within the authentic music writes to Marshall in his letter and says, “I am identical to you. Here is how I am identical to you.” So, we appeared via the profiles for individuals who felt they have been identical to him and will articulate why they have been identical to him. We discovered folks that mirrored on totally different components of his life. Some individuals have been like Venn diagrams, that they had all of it. Some individuals solely had one type of piece. Then we have been searching for folks that simply popped off-screen, individuals that will be memorable, whether or not you want them, otherwise you’re intrigued by them otherwise you’re unsure. That was actually by design. However everybody by and huge was extremely candy. Then there have been a number of folks that I additionally talked to earlier than we went to movie with them, partially as a result of I understood that if you are going to make a movie about individuals who will open-up about very deeply private issues, I needed them to know who I used to be earlier than we confirmed up on set. It was vital to me to form of, I believe give them a protected house, and made them really feel like they knew the interviewer earlier than they confirmed up. It has been nice seeing and listening to from so lots of them since all of them now seen the movie and that feels good that they expressed such vulnerability they usually’re okay with it. Some individuals might really feel slightly both embarrassed or uncovered, however they’re identical to Eminem in that manner as a result of Eminem exposes a lot of his personal vulnerabilities within the music. It is an attention-grabbing enjoyable home mirror.
(L to R) Eminem and Zolt on the New York Metropolis premiere of ‘Stans’. Picture: Jeremy Deputat.
MF: Are you able to discuss in regards to the legacy of the music ‘Stan’ and the way it has managed to remain within the popular culture zeitgeist for therefore lengthy?
SL: I imply, I believe it is an ideal storm and confluence of every part that you just hear within the music coming collectively. You might have this Dido pattern, which was an enormous pop music that wound up on this film ‘Sliding Doorways’ with Gwyneth Paltrow. It is only a love music, and it begins with a conga beat, and it is simply so soothing and delicate. But to make one thing that takes that and flips this on its head by way of the narrative that was created by Eminem and his rapping, that is what makes it so fascinating as a result of it is darkish and lightweight operating collectively. I believe that is what we needed to do within the film was to have darkish and lightweight operating concurrently collectively. I believe what’s made it maintain is the truth that there was actually nothing prefer it on the time. The music’s additionally been prophetic. Having a significant artist write one thing about fame was I believe slightly bit attention-grabbing and new, proper? As a result of he was newly well-known when he wrote that music. I believe that struck a chord, after which the video itself, which was co-directed by Dr. Dre, is cinematic. They shot on movie; that they had a crane. I imply, there’s stunts concerned the place a automobile is driving over a bridge. I believe on the time it got here out, individuals have been actually shocked by it and shocked. Then I believe even individuals discovering it as we speak, it is only a masterpiece.
Eminem acting on stage in ‘Stans’. Picture: Paramount+.
MF: Lastly, because you’ve performed a lot analysis on Eminem and his profession, when do you suppose was the precise second that he went from a revered rapper to the GOAT?
SL: I am making an attempt to recollect if I can, after I really feel like I heard in regards to the GOAT dialog arising, however I am unable to bear in mind precisely. I believe trying again, I actually suppose ‘8 Mile’ solidified the legacy and the legend of him as a result of it gave a glimpse of the place he got here from, which is battle rap, which so many followers did not find out about, however for followers who did know, it offered a way of deep authenticity to him to return from that scene. I believe the film made common individuals who do not know something about hip hop conscious of it. I believe for people who find themselves hardcore, I’ll argue with you about this rapper versus this rapper, to see his previous battle raps, which you are able to do on YouTube now, and discover these raps, you understand simply how preternaturally proficient he was. I believe the opposite side extra just lately that is turn into clear about him as why individuals argue he is the GOAT, is that he treats it like a 9 to five job. He goes to the studio in Michigan 5 days per week and works 5 days per week on music. I am not the primary particular person to say that. Folks know that. It is onerous to think about some other rapper that is going to work as onerous as he works to create the artwork that he creates for so long as he is planning to create it. I believe that is the opposite side that results in individuals feeling he is the GOAT. To me, he is definitely on the Mount Rushmore. That is not debatable.
Eminem on the New York Metropolis premiere of ‘Stans’. Picture: Jeremy Deputat.
What’s the plot of ‘Stans’?
A revealing, edgy, and disarmingly private journey into the world of super-fandom, informed via the lens of one of many world’s most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the followers that worship him.
Who’s featured in ‘Stans’?
‘Stans’ premieres on Paramount+ August twenty sixth .