[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead.]

The Big Picture

In the remake of ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead,’ five siblings keep their babysitter’s death a secret to enjoy their summer, but realize someone has to take take on the responsibility of keeping the Crandell household going.
Eldest Crandell offspring Tanya (Simone Joy Jones) lands a fashion job, learning about responsibility and family unity in comedic ways.
The remake pays homage to the original while adding modern touches, maintaining the family adventure feel.

In the remake of Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, the Crandell kids are looking forward to summer, especially 17-year-old Tanya Crandell (Simone Joy Jones) who’s ready to head off to Spain before starting college in the fall. But when the Crandell matriarch leaves the country to take some time for herself, Tanya has to stay home with her three younger siblings and an elderly babysitter (June Squibb) none of them asked for. Following that babysitter’s unexpected death, Tanya finds herself in the unexpected position of having to get an adult job with an adult salary, stretching the truth to go to work as an assistant to a fashion executive named Rose (Nicole Richie), but proving her worth to someone who turns out to be a mentor.

During this interview with Collider, co-stars Jones and Richie talked about how they felt about the original film, shooting in the original house, meeting Joanna Cassidy, working with Squibb, how much they love comedy and laughter, Rose’s fashion, shooting at a Dave & Buster’s, and the film’s R rating.

Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead (2024) After their babysitter unexpectedly passes away, five siblings decide to keep her death a secret to enjoy a summer of freedom. As the eldest sister steps up to manage the household and lands a job in fashion, they all learn about responsibility and family unity in comedic and chaotic ways.Release Date April 12, 2024 Director Wade Allain-Marcus Runtime 99 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Studio(s) BET+ , Spiral Stairs Entertainment , Treehouse Pictures , SMiZE Productions

‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead’ Co-Stars Simone Joy Jones & Nicole Richie Loved the Original
Image via BET+

Collider: I was such a huge fan of the original movie. When did you guys see the original and what did you think of it?

SIMONE JOY JONES: For me, my experience with it was that I watched it right after I got the audition and after I read the script because I’m the type of actor that, once I like something or I know I wanna go out for it, I research everything about the project that could ever be out there. I found the movie and I was like, “Oh, my gosh, it’s a remake.” And of course, I fell in love with it. I think it’s just really cool to have it be with fresh eyes and fresh ears, so I could step into a world that felt familiar but had not been part of my DNA in ways that I’ve heard people say.

NICOLE RICHIE: And I am the opposite. I’ve seen it no less than a thousand times. I didn’t even know people existed that hadn’t seen it. I hope that people watch this, and then they’re inspired to watch the original too because they are two very different movies, but also have the same tone, as far as it being a family adventure and it being very feel-good. I just had such a strong connection to that house. We shot in the original house. I was taking pictures like a maniac and just being so crazy and overly excited. It was very cool.

I had so much fun with all the nods to the original in this. Nicole, did you have fun with all of those too?

RICHIE: Yeah. (Director) Wade [Allain-Marcus] did such a good job of keeping this story modern and new, and very much a take on the story, but in the world that we live in now, while also having those throwback, feel-good Easter eggs and the tone and the spirit. When you watch it, you can’t help but feel like a teenager. You are watching this whole movie through a 17-year-old’s eyes. Maybe it’s just because I’m so attached to the family and the story, but it really brings me back to feeling how I did when I was watching the original. Sue Ellen was the cool older girl. It’s so cool, and it really just takes me back there. It was pretty surreal.

Which Original Prop Did Joanna Cassidy Bring to the Set of the ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead’ Remake?
Image via BET+

What was it like to have the moment with Joanna Cassidy?

RICHIE: I wanted to die. I couldn’t believe it. Her in Don’t Tell Mom – amazing. Her in Roger Rabbit – can’t even handle. The list goes on and on. She is just a legend, beyond. She was so lovely to work with. She brought her red wig. I don’t know why she didn’t wear it. She looked beautiful, regardless. But she brought the wig and I gave it a little touch.

JONES: I wish I touched it.

RICHIE: It was great.

Simone, what was it like to work with June Squibb? However brief that experience was, was it ever challenging not to crack up at her?

RICHIE: I’ve never met her, by the way. I didn’t have any scenes with her.

JONES: Meeting June Squibb, she’s a force. She’s like a waterfall. She’s such a powerful force in the room, and she’s hilarious. The way she is in the movie, she’s just so funny. She’s a comedic genius. She’ll get the beat right there. She never misses a line. She’s perfect. Also, she was on top of me in those scenes where she falls, so we got really close. She’s just a joy to work with. We worked late hours, and she was a trooper and so kind and just the same, all the time. It was amazing. And it was not brief. We had a long time with June, which was great.

Simone Joy Jones Loved the Physical Comedy of ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead’

Simone, I became familiar with you from watching Bel-Air, which was originally a sitcom, but is now actually quite a serious show, but this is much more of an outright comedy. How did you take to the comedy side of this?

JONES: Oh, my gosh, the style became more like physical comedy as we went through it. It was just so outrageous and the colors were so vibrant. I started the film with Nicole. We did all of our scenes first. Setting the tone by playing the circumstance of a teenage girl who’s now the executive assistant of a huge office that’s failing, you don’t have to do anything. It’s already hilarious. It was just living and stumbling, and it was really cool. We have this perfect, beautiful version of Christina Applegate’s Sue Ellen, and then we have another version now. It was just really fun.

Nicole, you also seem like you feel so natural in this comedy space. Is it something that you’ve always naturally just taken to? Is there anyone in comedy that you’ve looked to for inspiration?

RICHIE: I don’t know that I’ve looked to them for inspiration in a literal sense, but comedy is just something that I’m drawn to, whether it be playing a role or just the people I wanna be around. I chase laughter. That is just the rhythm of my life. Whether it be Carol Burnett or Lucille Ball, I just love people that make me laugh, and they hold a very special place in my heart and in my life.

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How would you describe Rose’s fashion? Did you have any say in it?

RICHIE: It’s bright. I did have a hand in Rose’s wardrobe. For Rose, it really just had to be an extension of who she is as a person, so that really played out in the color palettes with the primary colors, like the bright cherry reds and the cobalt blues. And then, there were the caped jackets and the different hairstyles. Rose is someone that wears so many different hats and is trying to juggle it all. When she feels emotionally like she’s falling apart, or could be on the verge of falling apart, I do think that she is somebody that would look to her wardrobe to help her hold it all together.

Simone, what was it like to shoot a date at an arcade playing video games? Did you actually get to play any games? Did you have to fake playing games?

JONES: Yes, we were at Dave & Buster’s, and it was hilarious because we got to play the games. You’ve just gotta do it. It’s honestly refreshing to hear that I’m funny and that people laughed because when you’re just in it, you just do it. It was crazy because that was also just a regular day at the Dave & Buster’s that we were shooting at, so there were kids all around. And then, there was the romance and the awkwardness. It was such a cool dance. I loved it.

Simone Joy Jones & Nicole Richie Were Surprised By the R Rating for the ‘Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead’ Remake
Image via BET+

Are you guys surprised that this film has an R rating?

RICHIE: We’re surprised, but we think it’s cool. I was like, “Woah, okay!”

JONES: Maybe people will wanna see it more because it has an R rating.

RICHIE: It feels edgy. Especially nowadays, kids are so smart and aware of what’s going on, whether that be from just being in the world or what they’re seeing on their phones. My kids are older – they’re 14 and 16 – but they are definitely gonna watch this. I do think this is something that you watch with your family, for sure.

What did you guys most enjoy about working with each other on this? What did you learn from working with each other and just getting to really play?

RICHIE: I’m very surprised to hear that Simone doesn’t work in comedy all the time because she is just such a naturally funny actor. Just watching her on set, she’s the star of this movie. Specifically with the fashion show scene, it was so cool just to watch her in her element, very naturally stumbling her way through being a kid, then faking being an adult, and then taking on this fashion show, and then getting caught by her mom. Watching her go through all of those waves of the different layers of Tanya, as a whole, was just very cool to see. She’s just so natural. But that’s not what I enjoyed the most. I liked our lunches every day, and our late night Chinese food one night.

JONES: I’ll say it over and over again, and I’ll scream it from the rooftops, but Nicole is just so kind and genuine and real. It’s so refreshing, in a world of so much crazy. There are cameras, there are lights, and there are so many people, so to have a grounding force looking at you is so amazing. She’s just such a beautiful, gentle anchor.

I don’t know if it’s true or not, but Nicole, it feels like you are just chill in the middle of chaos.

RICHIE: Oh, my gosh! It’s not true, but I really appreciate that. Simone said that to me too. As long as I’m giving that off, I’ll take it. Thank you.

Related Tina Fey and Nicole Richie Made Us Laugh in This Short-Lived Workplace Comedy This refreshing comedy deserved more time than it got.

Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead is now playing in theaters. Check out the trailer:

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