Director Steven Leckart gained full access to a small fraction of Em’s fan mail archive while working on Stans, finding it both helpful for the story and incredibly moving on a personal level.
Eminem’s upcoming documentary, Stans, tells the story of his fame through the experience of the fans who have been there through it all. And now, some of those voices might finally get a bit of spotlight themselves.
While working on the film, director Steven Leckart was handed a box straight from Em’s archives—stuffed with real fan letters sent between April and August 2024. Inside, he found hand-drawn portraits, tear-stained confessions, shoutouts from state hospitals and prisons, even a few baby shower invites.
There were 407 letters in total, postmarked from 14 different countries. Among them:
64 graduation announcements
41 wedding save-the-dates
11 pieces of jail mail
2 birthday cards and 2 Father’s Day cards addressed directly to Marshall
Leckart says the letters were opened one by one, with plenty making it into the final cut of the documentary. Some came from longtime stans, others from first-time writers who just had something they needed to say.
The result is a snapshot of what Eminem means to people who have become part of their lives.
Decades into his career, and still accused of being a menace to society, in just four months, Eminem receives 407 deeply human reminders of just how far his music reaches.
Stans arrives in theatres worldwide for a limited run starting August 7. Bring tissues. Possibly stamps.
Get you tickets through stansmovie.com
