NBC’s new mini-series The Slap has a provocative plot. A man named Harry (Zachary Quinto) hits someone else’s child at a family party in a bourgeois neighborhood of Brooklyn. The boy, Hugo (Dylan Schombing), is described as “an exceptionally bratty boy who reacts to striking out in a backyard baseball game by swinging the bat around threateningly.” When adult Harry confronts child Hugo, a slap ensues, as does legal action from Hugo’s “artsy, permissive parents.” Hugo’s parents are played by Melissa George (The Good Wife) and Thomas Sadoski (The Newsroom). The Slap is not just about parenting – it addresses class, too. Harry happens to be a rich bully.
Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill) plays Anouk, a friend of the boy’s parents. She says she was drawn to the character because Anouk did the opposite of Thurman – Anouk chose career over family. “It’s a noble choice,” explained Thurman, mother of three (16, 12, and 2). Off camera, Thurman is facing a custody battle over her 2-year-old daughter with her former fiance Arpad Busson. Sometimes the hectic lifestyle of an actress must seem easier than staying at home with the kids. The Slap airs Thursday at 8pm on NBC.
