During her second day ever on a film set, Jo Ellen Pellman came face to face with an irate Meryl Streep. “You owe me a house!” Streep, a three-time Oscar winner snarled, eyes flashing, as she ripped off her blazer and lunged at the 24-year-old ingénue.
Pellman’s eyes widened. “I’m so sorry!” she said, holding up a hand in apology. “And … cut!” Pellman was playing Emma Nolan, a high school student in a close-minded Indiana town who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom in the Netflix adaptation of the musical “The Prom.” Like Emma, Pellman is a Midwesterner who identifies as queer.
But unlike her character, the young actress grew up in a supportive environment that has affected how she views the film’s potential.