HOLLYWOOD ACTOR PREP by Dana Kaminski

“I’m Not Leaving Until You Cast Me As Queen Victoria”

That is what Producer Graham King told me, that Emily Blunt said to him that day. That’s how she got the lead role in the movie. It’s that simple. It was well-before any work got started on the film, altogether.

The Departed, the Oscar winning film that Mr. King also produced, was still in post-production.  King was busy at work, on that. He said he wasn’t even “thinking about it yet.”  [The Young Victoria]

Emily Blunt came into his office, at the location where the The Departed production offices were, at the time. “I’m here to play Queen Victoria and I’m not leaving until you give me the job.”

“I Love To Work With People With A Passion Like That.”

Says Graham King. “It’s not about the money. It’s about feeling it.”

They never auditioned anyone else for the part. It was Emily Blunt’s, at her insistence,  in his office  that day. “She really knows what she wants to do, and she goes and gets it.”

Early Backstory Of This Particular Film Is…

King had met with Sarah Ferguson in her office. She was serious about becoming a film producer, and she had approximately 50 scripts on her desk which she attempted to pitch to Mr. King, hoping that they would do business together.  When she brought up The Young Victoria, it  wasn’t yet a script; it was just a two-page treatment. King liked it, bypassing all the completed scripts; for this idea of the early days of Queen Victoria’s reign, and the love between this Queen, and her husband.

Sarah Ferguson offered to use her British royal relationships to assist the production, as it would be a smaller film, without a large budget.  At first, King thought they would probably shoot the picture in Poland or Czechoslavakia. But because of the Royal Fergie (not the musical Fergie who sings about her-hump-her-hump, BTW) …they were, eventually, able to shoot inside seventeen castles and palaces all over England. She was also able to get access to all the Monarchy’s historical files.

Julian Fellowes Wrote The Script. He’s An Englishman, Too.

The not-yet-hired-screenwriter contacted Graham King; with an insistence, as well. He told King that he was “Born to write this movie. I know all about Queen Victoria.” Queen Victoria’s reign had been a strong personal interest, a longtime hobby, of the already successful English screenwriter. He came to the project with a head full of factual knowledge.

Hiring the director,  Jean-Marc Vallée, for The Young Victoria was similar. It would only be the director’s second  movie. Additionally, he was French-Canadian. King remembers thinking: “The monarchy will really love that.”

The  Young Victoria Is A Love Story

Casting an actor to play the role of Prince Albert, was somewhat more difficult. The producers defined specific traits that they regarded as necessary, in the actor who was auditioning for the part of the Prince. Imperative, was for the two lead actors have a very special chemistry together. Emily Blunt read with those who were auditioning. They tested “twenty to thirty actors“, before giving the role to Rupert Friend.

The casting director was Susie Figgis. Besides Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend,  some supporting actors in The Young Victoria are Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Thomas Kretschmann, Mark Strong…A full cast-and-crew list can be found at IMDB, with links to each actors’ resume.

Actor Emily Blunt As 'The Young Victoria'

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When Sean Penn Accepted His Best Actor Oscar, He Transformed Before Our Very Eyes…   

He went from Bad-Boy-Sean 

…To a wise, seasoned, actor-statesman.  

(And I do like both those Seans; and all that magnificent talent and sensitivity, in between.)

Yes, he gave a dignified thanks to the Academy Members, and to the public. He even began with by alluding to his bad reputation.

“I want to make it very clear that I  do know how hard I make it for you to appreciate me–often.”

As he went on, he managed to include everything. Everything pertinent. Everything that actors are aware of, and need to know in order to play any character.  The things that most people don’t notice, or pay any mind to, or dare speak of, even though they may be thinking about it, consciously. Or may be acting on it, unconsciously.

He mentioned it all; and he did it gracefully, and so decently. With aplomb. A comfortable stance; that was both regal, and, at the same time, was ‘everyman’.

He spoke of the message of gay rights, human rights, which fueled Harvey Milk’s adult life, and ultimately, brought death.  That same theme steered the movie ‘Milk’, and, judging by Penn’s acceptance speech; it was the same message, and his passion for it, that made him choose this role, and guided his performance.  It seemed to dominate  his speech,  when he accepted his Oscar.  It was this part that got the strong reaction from the crowd.

To be a great actor, you need to have what is called “a strong inner life”.  Sean Penn didn’t raise his voice, or change his tone, but it was clear how passionately he felt about the theme of ‘Milk’, and what described as “equal rights for everyone”.

Most people have a false stereotype about actors. They think all that actors do is think and talk about themselves.

What I noticed about Sean Penn’s Oscar speech, is that he barely spoke about himself, at all. Not ever.

And, maybe you needed to be an actor, to really hear the importance of the other stuff, as well.  To recognize that which he felt important, to mention.

He talked about directors, and of Gus Van Sant…

“And particularly, as all us actors know, our director either has the patience, talent and restraint,  to grant us a voice, or they don’t.  And it goes from the beginning: the meeting through the cutting room.

I’m very very proud to live in a country that is willing to elect an elegant man as president, and a country, for all its toughness, that creates courageous artists; and this is in great due respect to all the nominees.

… Courageous artists who, despite a sensitivity that sometimes has brought enormous challenge, Mickey Rourke rises again, and he is my brother.”

Actors are brethren, we are different.  We honor you, Sean.  We honor you too, Mickey. We support you, and we, too, are proud.

  

Actor Sean Penn