How actors' whims changed popular films

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Producers don't really like it when actors get involved in the filming process and begin to indicate how and what needs to be redone. But there are exceptions when it is easier to agree with the actor's persistence than to argue. Sometimes the pictures benefit from this, but it happens that it is thanks to the change in the script that they fail, regardless of the star cast. Today we present a selection of such films, where the actors decided to insist on their edits. And whether the film has improved or worsened - you know better.

"Jurassic World", 2015

Well, what you just do not go, just to please a woman! So director Colin Trevorrow had to give in to the insistent, even categorical demands of the actress Bryce Dallas Howard. The fact is that she, as a true woman, insisted that her character simply had to look great and wear high-heeled shoes. The stars succumbed to a cute whim, and as a result, in all scenes, her heroine runs in very uncomfortable shoes. However, this did not affect the critics' reviews - in general, the film was received warmly. But the viewer is still perplexed: how can you run away from a twenty-two-ton dinosaur on the wet soil of the jungle in heels? But the actress invariably replies that she was quite comfortable.

A Million Ways to Lose Your Head, 2014

And sometimes the desire to contribute to the creation of a film is dictated by a banal resentment. Everyone remembers the satirical animated series "Family Guy", which made people laugh for many years. So one of the jokes later backfired on the author of the program, Seth MacFarlane. In particular, in one of the episodes, one of the heroes of the family said that the actor Liam Neeson was not able to transform into a cowboy, as his Irish accent would prevent him. Everyone laughed and forgot, but not Liam himself. Many years later, McFarlane invited the celebrity to his film A Million Ways to Lose Your Head, which was shot in the style of a comedy western. As you might guess, Liam Neeson played the role of the bandit from the Midwest. A small revenge was produced - the actor agreed to play only on his own terms. This is how a cowboy appeared with a mysterious Irish accent.

"Pulp Fiction", 1994

During the preparation for the shooting, two absurdities happened at once, which, oddly enough, added a "zest" to the final version of the film. The fact is that according to the script, a person with a kind heart who reads the Bible had to have a huge afro wig on his head. This would give a kind of contrast to the scene, because his colleague Vincent's hair was slicked back smoothly. But the dressers were a little mistaken and provided a version of the scalp with funny curls. Meanwhile, Samuel Jackson was so amused by them that he asked to keep the wig. In an interview with MTV, he later said that at the first fitting it became clear: this funny find is exactly what his hero should look like.

"Mummy", 2017

To “be smart” on the set is sometimes a matter of honor for top-class actors. Tom Cruise agreed to star in The Mummy only on the condition that he would be allowed not only to improvise within the framework of his profession, but also to make adjustments to the filming process and the script. And he shoveled the latter so much that even the mummy itself had much less screen time than the hero of Cruise. As a result, viewers saw only a pitiful likeness of the previous 1999 film - instead of adventure and comedy, the picture resembled a pitiful action movie with an incoherent plot. And critics, too, did not skimp on negative reviews: the film received as many as eight nominations for the Golden Raspberry anti-award, and Tom Cruise even won it in the nomination “worst actor of the year”.

Charlie's Angels, 2000

Crispin Glover got only a minor role in the picture and that, in his opinion, with stupid remarks. Therefore, the actor did not bother the writers too much, but suggested that the creators simply … delete all his words. The director liked the unusual proposal to make Crispin's character silent, and the actor did not say a word for all the shooting. As a result, the viewer of the strange and even controversial Skinny man Anthony was remembered no worse than that blonde, redhead and black. Well, the film only benefited from this non-standard move.

"Especially Dangerous", 2008

Attracting a celebrity of such a level as Angelina Jolie to the shooting is a special luck. Well, and to keep - and even more. The Hollywood movie star agreed to play in the Russian action movie directed by Timur Bekmambetov, but, as she should be, she was a little capricious. Perhaps our climate did not suit her or she didn’t like something else, but she refused to shoot in the sequel, offering her heroine … to kill. However, this ending turned out to be very effective and convincing, and on the whole the action movie was well received by the audience.

The Avengers, 2012

Robert Downey Jr. also suggested making a different ending. In the original version of the film, it was less fun: after the battle with the Chitauri is over and the bomb is dropped, Tony Stark only asks "What's next?" The actor thought that the phrase in this version sounds somehow unconvincing, and suggested changing the script a little. As it follows from the magazine "Entertainment Weekly", director Joss Whedon has accumulated as many as three pages of amendments proposed by the star. According to them, Iron Man turned out to be not so gloomy and knows how to joke wittily. In addition, to revive the script, the actor asked to shoot another scene as a "bonus", when the characters are eating pizza together. Here is the phrase "What's next?" came in just the way. The only thing is that there were some difficulties: since the main shooting had already ended, the actors relaxed a little, and Chris Evans began to grow a beard. Therefore, in the frame at the common table, Captain America does not eat - he has a false jaw prosthesis that hides the stubble.

Shrek, 2001

Did you know that it turns out that Shrek is an ogre from Scotland? Unfortunately, in the Russian translation it is difficult to guess, but in the original language everything can be clearly traced. Mike Myers insisted on making him one. In his opinion, since the difference between the main anti-hero Lord Farquard, who speaks in a purely royal English accent, and Shrek, a simple guy from the provinces, will be more noticeable. In addition, the Scottish accent sounded more dramatic, giving the protagonist more emotion in the conversation. The whole piquancy of the situation was that this idea came to Myers when a third of the cartoon had already been voiced. Well, DreamWorks management had to be generous and allocate an additional several million dollars to re-sound the animation. And this, by the way, is about 10% of the entire budget of the painting.