Sammi, Alfonso Cuarón on "Under The Skin" + ScarJo:
Quote:
His eyes lit up at the prospect of discussing Jonathan Glazer's almost indescribable motion picture. In fact, he recalled how last month he ran into Glazer during the 2013 London Film Festival and told him how much he loved "Skin." Glazer gave him a warm thank you, but Cuarón laughed realizing the British filmmaker probably just thought he was being nice. Cuarón said he'd thought of "Skin" the night before while reading a novel (the title escapes me) as it had conjured up a key scene on a dark, cold beach in the film. Having no knowledge of any relationship Cuarón might have had with "Skin" star Scarlett Johansson, I asked him if he was surprised (like many critics were) that the "Lost in Translation" star had this sort of performance in her.
And that's when the surprise came. Cuarón said he always knew Johansson had this in her. In fact, he'd been a fan since he first cast her in "A Little Princess" when she was just 8-years-old.
"What," you say? "Johansson wasn't in 'Princess.'" True, but Cuarón says he wanted to cast her (we'll assume for the role of Sara Crewe, played by Liesel Matthews), but she was just too young. He later wanted to cast her for a role in another film, but she was too old. But there was always something about her. He also laughed recalling that Joel Coen told him no actor had intimidated him like Johansson (on "The Man Who Wasn't There" when she was only 16) and no less than Robert Redford said the same thing about working with her on "The Horse Whisperer."
(And here you've always wondered what filmmakers talk about when they run into each other.)
Cuarón said he did speak to Johansson as well as a number of other actresses about the leading role in "Gravity," but eventually decided he just wanted someone older for the part. In hindsight, it looks like he did OK with a career turn by Sandra Bullock. That being said, don't be surprised if the two eventually find a way to collaborate down the road.
