Line #19 Trivia/ShakespeareInLove


1	* AllStarCast: The film features a line-up of very accomplished British theatre actors - Creator/JosephFiennes, Creator/JudiDench, Creator/ImeldaStaunton, Simon Callow, Creator/MartinClunes, Creator/RupertEverett among others. There are also film stars such as Creator/BenAffleck, Creator/ColinFirth and Creator/TomWilkinson. Retroactively for Creator/GwynethPaltrow, see below.
2	* CastTheRunnerUp:
3	** Harvey Weinstein asked Creator/BenAffleck to play Creator/WilliamShakespeare, but he declined, and played Edward Alleyn instead.
4	** Creator/ColinFirth was also considered for Shakespeare. He was eventually cast as Lord Wessex.
5	** Simon Callow was originally cast as Philip Henslowe. However, after the project was re-activated, Creator/GeoffreyRush was cast as Henslowe, and Callow was offered the smaller, but key role of Tilney.
6	* FakeBrit: Australian actor Creator/GeoffreyRush dons a cockney accent to play Philip Henslowe. Creator/GwynethPaltrow likewise does a near-flawless English accent as Viola. Creator/BenAffleck too, or as he puts it "I was the only person in the cast who hadn't been knighted."
7	* InspirationForTheWork: Writer Marc Norman got the idea for the film when his son Zachary called him from Boston University and suggested doing something on William Shakespeare as a young man in the Elizabethan theatre. It took two years for Norman to come up with the idea of having Shakespeare struggling with writer's block on ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''.
8	* LifeImitatesArt: Creator/ColinFirth's character has the title "Earl of Wessex", [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed non-existent at the times the film was either set or written]] (or any time since the Norman Invasion, in fact). When Prince Edward was offered a title on getting married in 1999, he asked to have this title reinstated for him, [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8196402/Royal-wedding-Prince-William-asks-the-Queen-not-to-make-him-a-duke.html reportedly because he saw this film]] and liked the sound of it.
9	* PlayingAgainstType:
10	** Creator/ColinFirth in a period {{romantic comedy}}...as the PrinceCharmless whom you ''don't'' want the heroine to end up with.
11	** There's also Creator/BenAffleck in an Elizabethan period piece, playing a pompous flamboyant actor.
12	* RealLifeRelative: Husband and wife team of Jim Carter (Ralph Bashford) and Imelda Staunton (Nurse).
13	* RoleEndingMisdemeanor: Creator/RobertLindsay lost out on a part because he had previously confronted producer Harvey Weinstein over his behaviour on ''Film/StrikeItRich''.
14	* RomanceOnTheSet: Creator/GwynethPaltrow and Creator/BenAffleck were dating at the time, Ben taking the role in order to be near her.
15	* SavedFromDevelopmentHell: Marc Norman got the idea in 1988 and it was suggested by his son. He then wrote a draft screenplay which he presented to Creator/EdwardZwick, which attracted Creator/JuliaRoberts, who agreed to play Viola. However, Zwick disliked Norman's screenplay and hired Creator/TomStoppard to improve it. The film then went into production in 1991 at Creator/{{Universal}} with Zwick as director, but although sets and costumes were in construction, the role Shakespeare had not yet been cast because Roberts insisted that only Creator/DanielDayLewis could play the role. Day-Lewis was uninterested, and when Roberts failed to persuade him, she withdrew from the film, six weeks before shooting was due to begin. The production then went into turnaround and Zwick was unable to persuade other studios to take up the screenplay. Zwick eventually managed to persuade Creator/{{Miramax}} to make the film, but they installed John Madden as director. It was finally completed in 1998, a decade after it was first conceived.
16	* StarMakingRole:
17	** Creator/GwynethPaltrow had been making headway with notable performances in ''{{Film/Seven}}'' and ''{{Literature/Emma}}'' but her Oscar winning performance in this really solidified her as a star.
18	** Defied to an extent by Creator/JosephFiennes. After the double successes of this and ''{{Film/Elizabeth}}'' he was offered many different roles but turned them down to focus on theatre work.
19	* UncreditedRole:
20	** No conclusive evidence exists as to why Creator/RupertEverett was uncredited for his role as Christopher Marlowe. However, regarding his performance, Everett was quoted by US Weekly as saying "I was very, very bad in it - I was a bundle of f---ing hideous nerves".
21	** Creator/JohnInman as an actor playing Lady Capulet.
22	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
23	** Creator/RussellCrowe was offered the role of Shakespeare but refused to sign a four-picture deal with Miramax. Creator/KennethBranagh, Creator/RalphFiennes, Creator/MelGibson, Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PaulMcGann and Creator/JudeLaw were also considered.
24	** Creator/KateWinslet turned down the role of Viola to work on Jane Campion's ''Holy Smoke'' instead. Other candidates included Creator/RosannaArquette, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/JodieFoster, Creator/DarylHannah, Creator/HelenHunt, Creator/AshleyJudd, Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/DianeLane, Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/SigourneyWeaver, and Creator/RobinWright.
25	** Creator/GwynethPaltrow also initially turned the role of Viola down, as she was going through a bad break-up and didn't want to work. Miramax producer Paul Webster eventually convinced her to take the role. Creator/WinonaRyder claims Paltrow saw the script in her home and asked her if she could read it, and got the part without telling Ryder she was going to try for it. Paltrow [[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gwyneth-paltrow-interview-howard-stern_n_6472500 strongly denies]] Ryder's claim.
26	** After initial test screenings, the film was heavily re-edited. The scene in the punt was re-shot to make it more emotional, and some lines had to be re-recorded to make it clearer why Viola had to marry Wessex. The ending also had to be re-shot several times before they were happy.

Context Trivia / ShakespeareInLove