Suddenly alone: the abandonment of Jake Gyllenhaal and Vanessa Kirby costed at 26 million euros
Thomas Bidegain detailed “the nightmare” experienced on his survival project, ultimately filmed in French with Mélanie Thierry and Gilles Lellouche.
Just before the release of Suddenly alonehis co-writer (with Valentine Monteil) and director, Thomas Bidegain (The Cowboys), told in Première his wish to initially shoot his film in English, with Jake Gyllenhaal And Vanessa Kirby. Two actors popular all over the world, who should have played this couple stranded on a snowy and hostile South American island.
“Very quickly, the scenario pleases, we wrote about this project then titled Suddenly. Jake Gyllenhaal gives his agreement, Vanessa Kirby, just awarded in Venice for Pieces of a Woman, also. The actors find themselves in Iceland eight weeks before the first clap… and the dream turns into a nightmare. “Everything is starting to go wrong. We don’t agree on anything. » Then everything stops. Thomas Bidegain then understands that Gyllenhaal wants to buy the rights to the film to produce it. “I immediately told my producer Alain Attal that it’s OK. » Except that… Attal refuses, to the great surprise of the director who then begins rewriting the script.”
Suddenly Alone: A Breathtaking Island Epic (review)
Thomas Bidegain then explained to us that he was delighted that his film was finally able to see the light of day in French, with equally talented actors in whom he had complete confidence. ““We rewrote everything in French. It was exciting because survival is an intrinsically American genre. We reduced the adventure aspect a little and increased the part about the couple. Basically, I got closer to my initial desire. » All that remains is to find your new cast. Gilles Lellouche is the first to board. “ He’s quite a fascinating actor. Intelligent and very physical. It’s beautiful to see the pleasure he has in playing. » To play the heroine, the filmmaker wants a unique duo. “We had to find an actress who accepted the physical challenge linked to this filming in a hostile environment. I have known Mélanie for a long time. And beyond her talent, I know how much she loves challenges. She had never played with Gilles, whose enthusiasm was immediate when I mentioned his name. » Suddenly alone is back on track…”
Now that the film is out, he explains to Marc Godin about Technikart that this first aborted version cost Alain Attal and StudioCanal very dearly, who always supported Thomas Bidegain in this adventure. In just four days, during location scouting in Iceland, everything fell apart.
Margot Robbie declines
Before that, preparations were off to a good start, despite the distance imposed by Covid restrictions, for example forcing the team to chat with Jake Gyllenhaal via cameras.“The zoom sessions are multiplying, Jake (Gyllenhaal) seems excited, so much so that he ends up becoming co-producer of the project, details the article. The film has the particularity of only employing two actors, the production is now looking for a major actress to share the screen with Jake. Bidegain zooms in with Margot Robbie, who is declining, Ana de Armas, Jodie Comer. “We soon arrive at a version that satisfies everyone and Jake brings Vanessa Kirby, with whom he filmed in Everest. »”
“Jake sells us the idea that he slaps a fish”
So it was only once in Iceland, to locate the filming locations, that everything went wrong. However, the script had been validated, but once there, Gyllenhaal imposes changes, no longer agrees with the subject of the film, questions the director’s ideas, attempts to impose his ideas with virulence. .
The director thus explains having seen his main male actor ” going crazy “ or propose crazy concepts: “For a scene on the boat, Jake sells us the idea that he slaps a fish…”. Another day he “enter into communion with nature” when crossing a mare, then explains to the whole team, after crying while listening to a speech by Greta Thundberg, that the real subject of their film is not her couple nor their love story, but “love of nature”.
Understanding that his film is slipping away from him, “ Thomas Bidegain calls Alain Attal to tell him the events (…), the article continues. “I’m going to talk to Jake and we agree that there’s no point in persisting, our visions diverge too much. We won’t be able to shoot in September. (…) It’s all over, and the 26 million are gone! (…) »
From A Prophet to Cowboys: Thomas Bidegain comments on his filmography
As an epilogue, Bidegain says that he saw Vanessa Kirby shortly after this thunderous conflict, and that she offered to buy the rights to the script to make this film, but without him. He was so affected by this bad experience that he almost accepted. But Alain Attal categorically refused the actress’ offer. Two years later, the version we know was finally released, with Mélanie Thierry and Gilles Lellouche, fully involved without having sought to take control of Suddenly alone.
Trailer :
The film that… by Thomas Bidegain (Suddenly alone)
