As a film enthusiast who has witnessed the evolution of Hollywood from the golden age to the digital era, it’s fascinating to delve into the behind-the-scenes stories of iconic movies like “Now and Then.” The anecdotes about the cast members’ experiences during filming are as captivating as the movie itself.
Knock three times on the ceiling if you are still obsessed with Now and Then.
30 years ago, a movie that beautifully captured the essence of female friendship graced our screens for the first time – none other than the timeless classic, “Now and Then.” I can’t help but feel nostalgic as I recall its release, and I’m sure you might find yourself feeling quite vintage too. But fear not, dear friend, take a break from what you’re doing, because it’s high time for a rewatch of this masterpiece.
The movie, titled “Coming-of-age story,” is helmed by director Lesli Linka Glatter and scripted by Marlene King, the showrunner of “Pretty Little Liars.” This film revolves around four close friends residing in a small Indiana community, portrayed by actors Gaby Hoffmann, Christina Ricci, Thora Birch, and Ashleigh Aston Moore. Unfortunately, their friendship was cut short when one of them, the character they played, died due to an unintended heroin overdose in 2007.
In the timeless movie, taking place during the summer of 1970, teenagers undergo profound changes through love and heartache. Later on, Demi Moore, Rosie O’Donnell, Melanie Griffith, and Rita Wilson portray their characters as adults. They gather for a significant occasion, demonstrating that true friendship endures over time.
Despite joking in 2022 with Us Weekly that there were sibling-like arguments during filming due to their young age at the time—”After all, if anyone knows anything about 12 to 14-year-old girls, they don’t get along so well”- their relationship has remained strong.
She expressed her deep affection for them, saying, “I adore those women greatly,” and added, “I believe everyone did an outstanding job in their respective parts.
Who says you can’t go home again?
As the movie “Now and Then” approaches its 30th anniversary in a year, we’re sharing fascinating behind-the-scenes insights, such as the role that Leonardo DiCaprio first landed and the star who was reportedly smitten with Devon Sawa, also known as Scott Wormer.
Marlene King penned the film when she was just ten years old, and she described it as a reflection of her close-knit circle of friends growing up. “That truly was my childhood…I had some incredible friends, we would perform séances in the graveyard, we were captivated by mysteries,” King shared during a Q&A at a 20th anniversary screening of the movie in 2015. “And to make it even more real for me, my parents were going through a divorce around that time.
Samantha was based on her sister, Sandra, and King joked she herself was “everyone but Chrissy.”
2. Initially, the four younger girl roles were filled first, with Christina Ricci securing the part of Roberta. During the last week of filming in Savannah, the mature versions of these characters joined the production. As revealed by King, Demi Moore (who played Samantha and was also a producer for the movie), Rosie O’Donnell (Roberta), Melanie Griffith (Teeny) and Rita Wilson (Chrissy) reviewed recordings of the girls’ performances to help shape their portrayals of the characters.
3. The two incarnations of the quartet were never on set at the same time.
4. Producer Jennifer Todd and Moore persistently worked to persuade Rosie O’Donnell to accept the role of the older Roberta, as she initially showed reluctance. In Todd’s words, “Rosie wasn’t sure about taking on this project, so we embarked on quite an exciting journey.” They even traveled to New York City to watch O’Donnell in her Broadway performance of Grease, hoping to win her over. Following the show, they made their move by going backstage and asking her out for dinner. “We were a bit pushy,” Todd admitted.
5. Thora Birch shared that she and her co-star actresses from the 1970s had a bond akin to sisters, which sometimes resulted in disagreements on set. As she put it, “We knew we were close because we were exceptionally skilled at having disagreements.
6. Admittedly, all four main actresses were smitten with Devon Sawa, as Birch confessed. However, wasn’t it common in the ’90s to have a fondness for the heartthrob from the movie ‘Casper’?
Todd shared that there had been a competition, and they mentioned, “‘Hang out with Devon,'” he disclosed. But the group found themselves puzzled, asking, “What do you mean by ‘hang out’?
7. As Sawa diplomatically refused to comment, Birch, on the other hand, was more forthcoming, disclosing that his Casper co-star, Ricci, had emerged victorious in the competition. “She took the lead and the other girls weren’t pleased about it,” Todd shared.
Sawa shared that he was the lone fifteen-year-old boy among the most popular young ladies in town, which made for quite an enjoyable experience.
8. In an interview with TopMob News, Sawa acknowledged Ricci for helping him land the role of Scott in Casper. He shared, “I had a good rapport with her during the brief time we worked together. She simply recalled me and recommended me, I submitted my audition tape, and I got the part. We spent quite a bit of time together during filming.
9. Originally, Leonardo DiCaprio was slated to portray the Vietnam War veteran encountered by the girls during their bike journey, but he pulled out at the last moment. During the 2015 screening Q&A, Todd mentioned that it was a significant issue as they needed someone to fly down immediately. An agent had recommended Matt Damon, saying, “You should consider this new talent.” However, they didn’t even get a chance to approach Damon; instead, they were captivated by Brendan Fraser and ended up casting him.
10. In the graveyard, you might recall the incident with the bird startling the women. It turns out that the scene was intended for an owl, but the owl passed away during filming. Instead, we opted to use a hawk in its place. (King disclosed this information.)
11. (Re-phrased) It turned out that the balloons Teeny filled her bra with during the movie contained actual pudding, as confirmed by Birch. Laughing, she added, “That’s what gives it the feel.
The four girls frequently navigated their bicycles around town, but surprisingly enough, one of them had no prior experience riding a bike when filming started. Birch confessed it was quite awkward, “I felt really embarrassed,” she said. “Since I had the thinnest tires on my bike, I was constantly wobbling about.
13. Originally, the popular bicycle ride sing-along accompanied by “Knock Three Times” was intended to feature a song by Diana Ross. However, as King mentioned, no one was able to perform it due to its difficulty.
14. Initially, the movie referred to the neighborhood where the characters resided as “The Gaslight Addition“.
15. The photo of Roberta’s dead mother that she carries everywhere? It’s producer Jennifer Todd.
16. Regarding the gossip claiming a specific moment in the movie reveals Sawa’s penis, let me set the record straight – it’s completely false. As the actor himself explained, “I’ve felt compelled to clarify this matter. It’s untrue; during those years, we wore special socks that were quite awkward at 14 or 15!
17. The young stars became particularly close due to a unique mutual fascination. “It’s strange but fascinating how we all seemed captivated by Pulp Fiction,” Birch confessed. “I recall us going to see it no less than 10 times.” However, the most ardent fan of Quentin Tarantino? “Christina was undeniably the most enamored,” she continued. “She went an astounding 14 times and made sure everyone knew about it.
18. Samantha’s little sister in the movie was played by Moore’s oldest daughter, Rumer Willis.
19. It wasn’t made public until 20 years later that a significant alteration occurred during filming, as King explained to Entertainment Tonight in 2015: “We initially wrote the script with the plan for Roberta to be portrayed as gay.
In the testing phase of the film, I shared with the audience that Roberta, who was also Chrissy’s gynecologist during the labor scene, caused a stir among viewers. They reacted strongly, expressing discomfort as they assumed, “She’s a lesbian and she’s examining her own vagina!” I remember thinking in response, “Really? You’re concerned about this? Is it truly that significant to you?
In the end, the original script got altered, and King expressed, “I had no part in this choice; there’s not a single doubt about it. I believe that Rosie was deeply disappointed when they made the change at the very last moment, and so were we all.
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2024-10-20 13:18