Page 31 - Aruba Today
P. 31
PEOPLE & ARTS A31
Monday 28 December 2015
Miracle Mops to movie stars: The real Joy dishes on ‘Joy’
JOCELYN NOVECK about and know instinc- Inventor Joy Mangano attends the world premiere of “Joy” at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. The
AP National Writer tively you should be doing, movie is based on Mangano’s life and she serves as executive producer.
NEW YORK (AP) — So then because if you don’t, you’ll
there was that time that never have that achieve- (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Joy Mangano, “Miracle ment that you know is with-
Mop” inventor and home in you,” she says. the courage to keep do- and the mop will sell.’ other’s sentences. When
shopping entrepreneur, Mangano sat down last ing that — I wish everybody AP: So now you’re making we met — I don’t know
was sitting at a meeting week to discuss her life and could be able to find that a new version of the Mira- that I’ve told anybody this,
wedged between Jennifer the film. The interview has space within themselves. I cle Mop? but she looks at me, and
Lawrence and Robert De been edited for clarity and feel like I grew wings when Mangano: Yes and I can my (three adult) children,
Niro. And De Niro leaned length. that happened! promise you, the only thing and says, ‘I’ve never seen
over and said: “Joy, I have AP: How did you first hear AP: The movie is based on harder than inventing is re- a family as close as you all
to talk to you. I have such a about plans for “Joy”? you but also some other inventing. I was possessed are. It reminds me of my
great idea for a product!” Mangano: The telephone businesswomen. Is it accu- to keep this mop at the family.’ That’s something a
Mangano continues the rings and it’s a producer rate about your life? original price — $19.95 — 25-year old doesn’t always
story, laughing: “And Jenni- (whom Mangano had Mangano: I will say that I and I promise when you pick up on.
fer is on the other side and met years earlier), and he SEVERELY inspire the movie. see it, you’ll see why I say AP: What do you most
she says, ‘Bob, you can’t says, ‘Hi, Joy, we’re here How many women do you it should be $50. I’m tell- want people to take away
ask her that. Everybody because we’re going to know who invented the ing you, you’re gonna sing from the film?
asks her that!’” She won’t make a movie about your Miracle Mop? and dance with this mop — Mangano: I’ve had so
say what the product idea life story.’ AP: In the movie, Joy goes even if you don’t buy it! many people saying after-
was, but allows that when And then David called, to QVC with her mop but it AP: What do you think of ward, ‘There’s something I
things eventually calm and I remember it was doesn’t sell — until she in- Jennifer Lawrence playing was going to do and I nev-
down with the movie, she in the afternoon, and he sists that she herself go on you? er did, and now I’m gonna
and Bob will probably get said ‘I just want to talk for camera to pitch it. Mangano: What an honor, do it.’ I feel like people are
around to discussing it. a few minutes,’ and when Mangano: Yes, it was my right? She has one of the going to want to climb
Late-night meetings with we hung up it was abso- own determination to say: wittiest minds. Within 10 min- mountains when they get
movie stars — oh yes, Brad- lutely pitch black out. And ‘Put ME on with that mop, utes we were finishing each out of this movie. q
ley Cooper was there, too that was the beginning of
— isn’t something Manga- many hundreds of hours
no ever envisioned, but life of talking. He knows more
changed a few years back about me than anybody in
when she got a call tell- the world — I would never
ing her of plans for “Joy.” need therapy!”
The movie, directed by AP: What do you think he
David O. Russell, tells the found unique about your
inspirational tale of a tena- story?
cious Long Island mother Mangano: I’ve always
who could barely support had this inner resiliency. I
her family and then had grew up in an Italian fam-
one great idea — that ily in an era where it was,
self-wringing mop — that ‘When are you gonna get
launched an empire. married and have chil-
But Mangano, 59, thinks dren?’ And throughout life,
the movie — on which she I was always taking care
serves as executive pro- of everyone around me.
ducer — has a much more And through the course of
universal message that ap- that, I lost ... I think we lose
plies equally to women and what we ARE. And then to
men: “Be courageous to find that again, and to go
do what you’re passionate against all odds and have
