According to a new report from news.com.au, the rom com of 1997 The wedding of my best friend could have been very different. Julia Roberts, who played the film’s principal lady, Julianne Potter, was not the first choice for the beloved film. Instead, Sarah Jessica Parker was first offered the role.
The post says Parker turned down the job while filming the Sex and the city series first aired in 1998. In turn, Drew Barrymore, who was to appear as “Kimberley Wallace”, was replaced by Cameron Diaz on Roberts’ recommendation. And apparently, the award-winning actress also influenced the cast of the film’s first male role, Dermot Mulroney.
The comedy follows Potter who has fallen in love with his close friend Michael O’Neal as he announces his quick engagement to another woman. The heartbroken food critic tries to break up the couple and destroy the marriage.
Roberts’ new involvement in the film meant the film’s ending had to be rewritten. According to director PJ Hogan, the production studio weren’t sure viewers would react to an unfortunate ending to “America’s Sweetheart.”
“[TriStar Pictures were] very nervous because we were doing a Julia Roberts movie and they couldn’t have [America’s sweetheart] end up alone and miserable, ”said Hogan The sun in 2017 (by Weekly entertainment.)
“It would have been such a depressing ending if George hadn’t shown up,” the director added. “That scene kind of gave the audience permission to forgive Julianne. Those last five minutes really made the whole movie work.
Roberts isn’t the only actress to be the second choice for a subsequent iconic role. Jessica Simpson was first cast as Allie Hamilton in Notebook before refusing it because of a sex scene. Rachel McAdams took on the role instead.
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