Trivia / The Constant Gardener

• Approval of God: In a Guardian article shortly before the release of The Night Manager, le Carré wrote that he considered this among the best of his adaptations and a personal favourite, alongside both versions of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.
• Banned in China: The film was initially banned in Kenya for depicting corrupt Kenyan officials.
• California Doubling: Subverted. Although South Africa was proposed as a filming location, the director insisted it be shot in Kenya.
• Dawson Casting: Then 34/35 year old Rachel Weisz as 24 year old Tessa.
• Deleted Role: In a deleted scene, seen on DVD extras, Swedish actress Pernilla August plays an employee at the Canadian company that was responsible for the drug research. Her character gave Justin Quayle information that led him to Dr. Lorbeer. Moments after doing this, she is killed in a mysterious hit-and-run car accident.
• Executive Meddling: A Danish actress was originally cast as the German woman Birgit. The film's German financiers insisted a German actress be cast instead - resulting in Anneke Kim Sarnau being cast.
• Fake Brit: Italian-born American actor Danny Huston puts on an English accent as Sandy.
• Fake Nationality: Pete Postlethwaite plays the South African doctor Lorbeer.
• Hide Your Pregnancy: Inverted. Rachel Weisz was pregnant, but wore a prosthetic belly.
• She Also Did: Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong'o worked on the production of the film as an errand girl.
• Throw It In!: When Tessa walks through the slum, numerous children ask her "How are you?" and she responds "I'm fine, how are you?" That scene was unscripted. The children are actual children who live in Kibera, not extras.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Eva Green was cast as Tessa but had to drop out. Nicole Kidman, Sienna Miller, Naomi Watts and Kate Winslet auditioned to replace her.
  • Mike Newell was attached to direct, but dropped out to do Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (also starring Ralph Fiennes).

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