Trivia: One of the show's producers, Bill Oakley, had the idea of Homer making a new enemy. He and the writers also considered an opposite plot, in which Homer's new co-worker would greatly admire him, not hate him.
Azalea
27th Jun 2024
The Simpsons (1989)
27th Jun 2024
Rules of Engagement (2007)
Bag Ladies - S2-E5
Other mistake: In the first scene with Russell and Claire, Claire is portrayed as being too young to understand his references to Ross and Rachel from "Friends", Ward and June Cleaver, or the song "9 to 5." Later, he tells Adam that he met her while she was playing Grateful Dead songs in the park. That alone would demonstrate that she can be aware of shows and music from previous decades. On a side note, "Friends" ended only three years before this show began.
26th Jun 2024
Multiplicity (1996)
Trivia: When Three calls Doug's job to say that Doug is sick, on the day of a building inspection, Michael Keaton uses the same voice that he did in the movie "Beetlejuice." The building inspector is played by Glenn Shadix, who was also in the movie "Beetlejuice."
26th Jun 2024
King of the Hill (1997)
Other mistake: At the prison, Bill meets Alicia, the same woman who gave Leanne a ride to the Hill house in Season Two ("Leanne's Saga"). Same voice, tattoo on the arm, and general appearance. Alicia tells him that she was in prison for killing her boyfriend. So it's odd that she was free in Season Two. Most likely, a sentence for homicide or manslaughter would be at least five years, and that much time has not passed. Otherwise, Bobby, Connie, and Joseph would be in their late teens.
23rd Jun 2024
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Trivia: The scene at the ice cream parlor was filmed at Eckel's Ice Cream Fountain in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. There is a "Girl, Interrupted Sundae" on the menu. As of May 2024, they are temporarily closed.
23rd Jun 2024
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Trivia: In real life, Mary secretly married her second husband, William Stafford, while Anne was still Queen. Henry and Anne did not approve because Stafford had a low social rank and little money. Mary was banished from court, and her parents and uncle disowned her. Her final interaction with Anne was probably when Anne sent her a golden cup and some money, but still would not allow her at court. She was probably not present at the execution of Anne, like in this movie.
23rd Jun 2024
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Trivia: Bridget weighs 136 pounds when she starts her diary. The actress, Renée Zellweger, is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and was also in her early thirties while filming. Bridget's body was actually healthy, according to body mass index (BMI) calculations.
9th Jun 2024
King of the Hill (1997)
Dale Gribble: Boil up some Mountain Dew. It's gonna be a long night.
9th Jun 2024
King of the Hill (1997)
Peggy: It was like a knife in his heart when she stuck that fork in his back.
9th Jun 2024
General questions
Is there a general reason why American actors are chosen for starring roles as British characters, or vice versa? I've read about Renée Zellweger working at a British publishing firm to prepare for the Bridget Jones movie. Andrew Lincoln played a Southern US man on "The Walking Dead" for several years. Natalie Portman hired a coach to help her prepare for playing Anne Boleyn. With all due respect to them, would it not be easier to simply use an actual British or American actor?
Answer: Working Title Films tried for years to raise the finance to make "Bridget Jones' Diary", but nobody was interested, even with Rachel Weisz and later Kate Winslet attached as Bridget. Then one day Renée Zellweger signed on and Miramax and Universal threw money at them. This explains the many jarring Americanisms in the film, sops to the film's US financiers.
Answer: Would add to the other answers that it's typical when casting a movie there are usually multiple actors considered for a main role. Movies are a huge and risky financial investment, so for a big-budget film, it's usually a small pool of bankable A-list actors that are considered, regardless of their nationality. In the case of Bridget Jones' Diary, Helena Bonham-Carter, Cate Blanchett, Emily Watson, Rachel Weisz, Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, and Toni Collette were considered. Some were already tied to other projects, Winslet was ultimately considered too young, Weisz was too pretty, and so on before producers landed on Zellweger. I also suspect some of these well-known actresses balked at playing a slightly overweight character that would have required them gaining weight for the role. Zellweger put on 20 lbs. To pay Bridget.
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Answer: Why "easier"? If an actor can do the right accent and is the best fit for the role, there's no great hardship in someone traveling for work and changing their voice. It's not like they're hiring someone with a completely inappropriate physical look that will involve hours in makeup every day. If the best person for the role happens to be a different nationality, far better to get them to do an accent and make the movie better, rather than hiring someone with the right natural accent but who isn't actually as good a fit. Producers and directors and casting directors don't owe it to actors of either nationality to give them work, their job is to find the best person for the film they're making.
Jon Sandys ★
Why the snappy response? This is why people are afraid to ask questions.
Azalea
What was "snappy"? You used the word easier, I asked why. I didn't accuse you of implying anyone was owed work, I was just stating that as a fact. Slightly odd you'd reply "thank you for your comment" then later come back with your own "snappy" response, when I just answered the question you asked. No evidence anyone's afraid to ask question either - they get asked here all the time.
Jon Sandys ★
By "easier", I only meant that some of the preparation work might have been skipped by choosing someone who is already American or British. Also, I did not mean to imply that any actors are "owed" work. They're not. I was only curious about why actors are chosen for such roles. Thank you for your comment.
Azalea
Even actors playing someone of their own nationality often have to work with a dialect coach to perfect a regional accent. An American actor who grew up on the West Coast does not speak the same as someone from New England, the Mid-West, the South, Texas, New York, etc. The same for British actors as there are many regional accents and dialects they may have to master.
raywest ★