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In an interview with Blackfilm.com, Nico Parker recalled that the opportunity to audition for the live-action remake of the Disney animated classic “Dumbo” came via her mother’s agent, but it was her dad who helped her film her audition tape. Parker told The Hollywood Reporter that a toy polar bear played the role of “Dumbo” for her performance in her family’s kitchen. “The fact that [the tape is] out there, that someone has it on, like, a computer somewhere, is horrifying,” she said.
But at 12 years old, that tape helped her land her first movie role, and when it came time to promote “Dumbo,” her proud mom accompanied her to the Hollywood and London premieres. Photos of the two side-by-side inspired scores of headlines about Parker being Thandiwe Newton’s “twin” or “mini-me.” But when Parker was asked about the comparisons, she told “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, “I don’t see it.” She does, however, look up to her mom, who gave her some helpful advice on how to pose for the cameras on the red carpet. While watching Newton in action, Parker observed that her mom possesses a special talent. “She’s just like a salamander,” said Parker. “She just doesn’t blink at all.”
While Parker might not see the mother-daughter resemblance, Newton does. She told Extra, “I look in the mirror and I realize I look a bit like my children, and that makes me love myself.”
