Yesterday morning Hollywood heavyweight, Harvey Weinstein, dropped by Howard Stern’s radio show and discussed past film projects, actresses, and other topics. One of the questions he was asked about was finding the perfect person for a role, then losing that person for whatever reason. “Does it drive you insane,” asked Stern. ”
“It doesn’t drive me insane because I’ve always believed if we can’t get somebody established, we’ll find somebody new,” said Weinstein, speaking about last year’s “Silver Linings Playbook.” Although actress Jennifer Lawrence got the part, it was written for Anne Hathaway and Bradley Cooper wasn’t supposed to be in the film either.
“Silver Linings Playbook was originally going to be with Anne Hathaway and Mark Wahlberg,” said Weinstein. “And then Anne wasn’t doing it, and she’s marvelous, and wonderful and she was my choice. I love her.”
And why the sudden change? Creative differences, he noted. “We had Annie and then we had Mark, then whatever happened, happened. David and Anne had some creative differences. They didn’t see eye-to-eye.”
David Russell directed “Silver Linings Playbook,” which of course went on to win eight academy awards and it made actors Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper into bigger stars.
And although Hathaway went on to win an Oscar that same year for “Les Miserables,” there’s a good chance that she wouldn’t have been received as well in “Silver Linings.” Do you remember the term “Hathahaters” last year? That was the name for people who couldn’t stomach the 31-year old, because according to fans and a now popular New York Times article, some felt that Hathaway was a bit on the pretentious side, which of course always rubs people the wrong way.
Thankfully for Weinstein, he found the perfect actress for the part in Jennifer Lawrence. “How the hell are we gonna replace Annie,” he said after initially losing her. “And then this amazing creature walked in who is a brilliant actress, and so much fun, and she won an Oscar.”
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