(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Emma Stone knew she wanted to appear in The Help after having a "cornucopia of drinks" with its director.

The actress is Skeeter in the movie, which is based on the book by Kathryn Stockett. It's set in Mississippi in the 1960s and follows aspiring journalist Skeeter Phelan as she writes a book about how African American maids are treated in white households.

The picture was directed by Tate Taylor and Emma has fondly recalled the first time they met.

"I got a call to meet with Tate Taylor, the director, we met downstairs at this hotel in the lobby and had a cornucopia of drinks and got to know each other before even taking about the movie and I left thinking, I love this man so much!' Right at the middle of the meeting he had to take a call from his mother. I was like, That's a southern man, through and through,'" she laughed to ETOnline.

Viola Davis is Aibileen in the movie, one of the women who works as a housekeeper. She admits her initial meeting with Tate wasn't quite so fun, although not through any fault of the director. She had some preconceived notions about the film and way it should be made, which made the discussion tense.

"I met with Tata and I had a chip on my shoulder so I came with an attitude. I was like, You know what? You gotta change A, B, C, D and E, so how do you feel about that?' I remember I walked away and said, I don't know if he's gonna be right for this project but I'll do it anyway,'" she smiled.

The Help also stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Sissy Spacek and Octavia Spencer and is due for release in America next month. (C) Cover Media