"Wise Girls" brings out pre-Mariah fame
In addition to a delay (Aug. 31 to Sept. 21) on the opening of Mariah Carey's 20th Fox starrer "Glitter", her second pic "Wise Girls", from Lions Gate got a new ending - in order to get its completed financing, reports producer Jack Sojka. He had worked on this project for three years and achieved the casting of Carey, Oscar winner Mira Sorvino and Melora Walters (thanks to the efforts of William Morris' Nicole David).
The trio play waitresses in an Mafia-owned eatery where drugs were an unlisted menu item - and the three were rubbed out in the original finale. But, as Sojka told me, Lions Gate nixed that ending. The role may have mimicked Mariah's own, pre-celeb life, notes the producer. (Whereas in "Glitter", she's a star - in a star-crossed love affair.)
I asked Sojka if there were any indications during his pic's filming that Mariah was headed for the "emotional and physical breakdown" that had her seek medical attention this month. He said, "When we were filming in Halifax, she'd often have to fly to N.Y. or L.A. for 'Glitter', both the film and the album of the same name. And she had to fly to Cannes to promote it. We often had to do our show around her."
He said there were several times when she was late for her work call, once without giving any notice. "When she arrived on the set three hours late, she claimed she had hives and had to go to the doctor. Behind her back the company called her 'the bitch' and 'the diva'. The crew didn't mind the delays: They got overtime because of her."
He said Sorvino had meticulously researched the roles before the film started and on her computer noted each scene's motivations. Sorvino had also taped Mariah's guestint on Rosie O'Donnell on which both women reverted to their conversational, tough New Yorkese. Before they started to film, Sorvino played it for the company; director David Anspaugh exclaimed to Mariah, "That's it - play it just like that!" "I can do that," she said. And, said Sojka, "She did it perfectly; her acting fit the part."
At the beginning, he says, "the two of them clicked. It was only when her discipline failed - when she became late - that the climate changed." He thinks the role brought out Mariah's inner self pre-fame and he speculated, "Her breakdown might have been caused by her crossing point. I think this movie got her in touch with who she really was and the movie made a psychological release for her. The role is Mariah - who she really was before she became 'Mariah Carey'."
Would he hire her again? "Yes, now that she's had the courage to seek the help." And the rest. Sojka may have the occasion to seek Mariah for another film: His Champion Entertainment is readying six films - one is "Jimmy the Elf", a Christmas story written by "Wise Girls" author John Meadows; also Williams Bekkala's "Tourniquet", a thriller in which the president is killed. (Daily Variety)
|
