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Julia Stiles Reflects on Harvey Weinstein’s Influence in “Down to You”
Actress Julia Stiles recently shared her thoughts on the production of the 2000 romantic comedy “Down to You,” emphasizing how Harvey Weinstein’s involvement negatively impacted the film. In a conversation on Brett Goldstein’s podcast “Films to be Buried With,” Stiles expressed her belief that the movie was poorly executed, attributing much of this to Weinstein’s influence during the filming process.
Stiles recounted that Weinstein’s appearance on set for reshoots led to a swift decline in the film’s quality. She explained that some of his suggestions regarding her dance scenes with co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. left her feeling uncomfortable and uneasy.
“Kris Isacsson was a talented first-time director. The script had great potential,” Stiles noted. “However, once Harvey Weinstein got involved, he seemed more focused on capitalizing on trends than on the story itself. It seemed to lose its depth, becoming less intelligent and more superficial.”
Reflecting on specific alterations suggested by Weinstein, Stiles described a scene that involved her dancing on a pool table. “I enjoy dancing, yet this felt contrived,” she said. “I was told that since ‘Save the Last Dance’ and ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ were hits, there was a need to have me dance in a similar vein. But it felt so cheap and didn’t contribute anything meaningful to the story.”
The narrative of “Down to You” follows the classic rom-com format of two attractive leads navigating the ups and downs of a budding romance. In this case, the plot complicates when a character played by Selma Blair, a porn star, becomes a significant obstacle for Prinze Jr.’s character.
In her closing remarks about the film, Stiles encouraged listeners, “You can rent ‘Down to You’ and see for yourself. I’d love to know if the pool table dancing scene remains because, in my view, it was unnecessary and regrettable.”
For those interested in the full discussion, the complete episode of “Films To Be Buried With” can be accessed here.
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