Emma Stone was nobody, says 'The Help' director

Los Angeles: Director Tate Taylor says he didn't know who Emma Stone was and had never heard about her when he casted her for the movie 'The Help'.

The 22-year-old actress who plays a journalist fighting for the rights of black maids in the 60's US deep south in the picture was not a "stunt casting" in the movie, says Taylor, reported Aceshowbiz.

"When we got Emma on board it meant nothing to us! She was nobody. Same with Jessica Chastain. We weren't setting out to make a female empowerment movie. What I like to think is we have a movie of heroes, ordinary people changing their lives and, oh yeah, they're all women.

"But when we cast this movie, when I met Emma, I didn't know who she was. She had done 'Zombieland', and I'd never seen it. There was no stunt casting," Taylor said.

Stone had earlier said she was excited to be part of the film which also stars Octavia Spencer and Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis because she really responded to the part.

"I think the only conscious decision is to do scripts that I really respond to or roles that I really would like to try my hand at. If whatever reason they decide to actually allow me to do it then I'm overjoyed - so this one was pretty mind-blowing to be a part of," she added.