10 Movies & Shows Similar to The Help (2011)

Description: This classic shares with 'The Help' its exploration of African-American family life and racial discrimination. Both works originated as literature (play/novel) and feature strong female characters navigating systemic racism in their pursuit of better lives.

Fact: First Broadway play written by a Black woman (Lorraine Hansberry). Sidney Poitier recreated his Broadway role. Addressed housing discrimination years before the Fair Housing Act.

Description: Like 'The Help', this classic examines racial injustice in the American South through the lens of personal relationships. Both feature white protagonists who challenge racist systems, though 'Mockingbird' is set earlier (1930s) and seen through a child's perspective.

Fact: Gregory Peck's Oscar-winning performance. Harper Lee visited the set. The courtroom scene was shot in one continuous take.

Description: This shares with 'The Help' a deep exploration of African-American women's experiences in the South, focusing on themes of abuse, resilience, and sisterhood. Both films feature strong female protagonists overcoming oppression, with emotional narratives that span years of their lives.

Fact: Whoopi Goldberg made her film debut in this role. Steven Spielberg's first dramatic film. Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

Description: This shares with 'The Help' its Southern setting, Civil Rights era backdrop, and focus on African-American women's experiences. Both feature interracial relationships and themes of healing from trauma, with similar warm yet poignant tones.

Fact: Based on Sue Monk Kidd's bestselling novel. Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning co-star. Features Alicia Keys' song 'The Secret Life of Bees'.

Description: Like 'The Help', this film spans decades of African-American experience through the eyes of service workers. Both use personal stories to reflect larger historical movements, particularly the Civil Rights era, with similar emotional resonance.

Fact: Inspired by Eugene Allen, a White House butler who served 8 presidents. Features an all-star cast including Oprah Winfrey. Forest Whitaker trained with real White House butlers for the role.

Description: While more brutal than 'The Help', this film similarly exposes racial injustices in American history. Both are period pieces that force audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about systemic racism, though '12 Years' focuses on slavery rather than the Civil Rights era.

Fact: First Best Picture winner directed by a Black filmmaker (Steve McQueen). Based on Solomon Northup's 1853 memoir. Brad Pitt's production company Plan B produced the film.

Description: Like 'The Help', this adaptation of a classic play explores African-American family dynamics and racial tensions in mid-20th century America. Both feature powerful performances and dialogue-driven storytelling that reveal complex social realities.

Fact: Denzel Washington and Viola Davis reprise their Broadway roles. August Wilson's play won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize. Washington's third film as director.

Description: This biopic shares with 'The Help' the theme of African-American women fighting against oppression. Both feature strong female protagonists challenging the racial status quo, though 'Harriet' focuses on the abolitionist movement rather than the Civil Rights era.

Fact: First feature film about Harriet Tubman. Cynthia Erivo performed her own singing in the film. The Underground Railroad scenes were shot in actual Virginia locations Tubman used.

Description: Like 'The Help', 'Hidden Figures' explores themes of racial and gender discrimination in the American South, albeit in a different time period (1960s NASA). Both films highlight the resilience and intelligence of African-American women overcoming systemic barriers. The storytelling style is similarly uplifting despite the serious subject matter.

Fact: The film is based on the true story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. Taraji P. Henson actually performed some of the math equations shown in the film. It was shot in locations that stood in for 1960s NASA facilities, including the abandoned Georgia Tech campus.

Description: This shares with 'The Help' the theme of racial inequality in the American South, though focusing on a different time period (1960s). Both films use a somewhat lighter tone to address serious issues, and feature unlikely friendships across racial divides.

Fact: Inspired by a true friendship. Won Best Picture at the 91st Academy Awards. The real Don Shirley was a musical prodigy who spoke 8 languages.