Darren Aronofsky He understood that he really managed to capture the essence of the wild and unpredictable nightlife of New York when, during the filming of his new film, he found himself facing … a splash of urine.
The embarrassing episode occurred last autumn, while Caught stealing Some scenes turned next to an old building in a neighborhood in New York famous for its residents and frequenters of noisy clubs and Boémien. Aronofsky scratches the neck and tells the accident: «One of our production assistants was hit by pee launched by someone who was on a fire scale. It was intense, “he says.
Austin Butlerwho plays an unfortunate former baseball player, targeted by various criminal and sociopathic criminals of the metropolitan undergrowth, adds further surreal details: “It was really intense,” says Butler. “She was a woman completely naked On a fire -fighting scale. The assistant thought it was the water of an air conditioner with losses, instead he looked up and saw that scene».
“Tremendo,” concludes Aronofsky. But it is part of the risks that run when taking out on the outside, especially in a place known for its eccentric atmosphere. “The beauty of the East Village is that it is populated by incredible characters,” says exclusive preview to Vanity Fair The director of Requiem for A Dream And The black swan. «This film is full of extravagant characters. They are part of my personal experience and the reason why I love the East Village so much. It is still today a magnet for out of the ordinary types ».
The East Village, in fact, is practically a character in itself. “Taking around at night was pure madness,” says Butler.
«Everyone thinks that the East Village belongs to them. And it is funny, because I believe that the East Village belongs to me»Adds Aronofsky. “I have been going to us since I was in high school. I was a Brooklyn boy and that was the coolest place ever, also because he was one of the few neighborhoods where alcohol also served to minors. We always ended up there to combine all colors ».
“Woe” is in fact the key word of Caught stealingwhich will be released in theaters on August 29th. Hank Thompson, played by Butler, tries to stay away, but without too much success. Promise of baseball at the time of the school, he saw his sporting career blend. “Everything went wrong,” says Aronofsky. Now he pulls forward working as a bartender in a evil place, but seems to glimpse a light at the bottom of the tunnel thanks to his relationship with Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz). “It’s perfect for him. It is an EMT (emergency medicine technique), a strong, caring and truly smart woman, “says Butler.
“A real girl from New York,” adds Aronofsky.
“It has the typical strength of the big apple, but also lightness and Levity,” says Butler.
“I think she sees the apathy in which Hank is sunk and try to shake him,” explains Aronofsky. «But he also has his own life. When I made the casting, I was looking for someone who represented the real New York Downtown I knew: people who do not let themselves be put on their heads. Zoë was perfect ».
Hank makes his best to show Yvonne to be a reliable one, one on which you can count in case of emergency. Maybe that’s why he accepts without thinking about it when his neighbor punk, Russ (Matt Smith), with an orange ridge that scrapes the ceiling, asks him to take care of his cat while he is away. When later, however, Hank comes out of Russ’ apartment, two henchmen exchange it for punk rocker, who are convinced he knows where four million dollars of the mafia are hidden.
Starting from that moment, his bad luck will do even more black.
Caught stealing It was conceived as a real period film, set in 1998. The screenwriter Charlie Hustonwho adapted his own novel in 2004, had set the story in September 2000, but Aronofsky preferred to bring it back a couple of years to satisfy his personal nostalgia. «There are many strange characters and many bizarre sub -trams. But in the end it’s a classic crime caper, A classic detective, “he explains. “I wanted to make a genre film with the best actors and the best troupe possible, transmitting that energy that I felt in New York in ’98”.
At the time, the twin towers were still standing, Rudy Giuliani He was mayor, and surveillance through cell phones and closed circuit cameras was not yet widespread. The crimes could still happen far from prying eyes, in a city that had a hydrate soul but was not yet in a state of maximum alert. For Aronofsky, it is the perfect context to tell the events of a band of extravagant ready to slaughter themselves for a handful of dirty money. He too grew up in the Lower East Side’s slums, the director admits that he feels nostalgia for the times when it was easier to get away with it.
During the promotional tour of The Whale At the end of 2022, Aronofsky rediscovered the novel by Huston, who had read about fifteen years earlier. Struck by the script and eager to move on to a lighter project after the emotional anguish of The Whalehe decided to throw himself into something that would return his smile. «I was really frustrated because I couldn’t understand what my next project would be. I needed something funny, “he says. “Looking at my projects, I thought:” The funniest one I have is Charlie’s script “”.
During the premium season of ElvisAronofsky has often met butler. “We crossed a couple of times and we liked it,” he says. Butler himself was looking for the right project. “It was the beginning of December,” says Aronofsky. “I said to him:” Give me until the beginning of the year and I will have something for you. ” I worked hard until December. We wrote, I think, six or seven versions of the script to make it perfect ».
When Aronofsky and Huston sent the script, Butler was already ready to say yes.
“I was 11 or 12 years old,” says Butler, “and the director of the first audition I participated in – was called Jacob Chase – he chose me for a student short film. I remember asking him, as a kid, “Who is your favorite director?”. I was looking for a mentor in some way. And he replied: “Darren Aronofsky. You should look at Requiem for A Dream “».
“At 11 or 12 years old?!” Aronofsky interrupts him. “It runs away as quickly as possible by that director.”
Inappropriate? Absolutely. But Butler was struck. “It immediately became my favorite movie,” he says. «Totally unsuitable for my age, but a world opened me. I had no idea that cinema could be so inventive, so visceral. From there my cult began to Darren: I saw all his films and I have always hoped to work with him. When I met him in person, I said to myself: “It is really Darren Aronofsky!” ».
With such a premise, as could Caught stealing Don’t be love at first sight?
“In addition, there was the setting in New York 90s, which Darren knows like his pockets,” adds Butler. “It was a journey in which I could completely immerse myself as an actor: a tormented character, who anesthetized his life until he is suddenly dragged into a crazy world”.
“And the world, from there, falls into total chaos,” adds Aronofsky amused.
There was only a small misunderstanding at the beginning. “Darren continued to say how fun it would be,” recalls Butler. “And I thought:” Funny?! But what I’m living on the screen is a nightmare! “”. Now that he has seen the film, however, he understood the trick: “What is hell for the character, to the public he can actually tear more than a laugh”.
Hank’s downhill descent begins with a furious brawl with two fools out of the neighbor’s door. Then comes the warning: an anti -crime detective, Elise Roman (an amazing Queen Kingalready Oscar winner for best supporting actress for If the road could speak), makes him understand that those who hunt for him are not simple fools: they are willing to recover their money at any cost.
“Regina arrives in the film at the right time, brings a crazy gravitas,” says Butler. “A natural authority, an inner strength that you feel to skin”.
To help Butler find the right register, Aronofsky suggested to him to concern Out of time Of Martin Scorsesecult comedy of the 80s where the night New York became a folly playground. Not surprisingly, in the cast of Caught stealing there is also Griffin Dunnethe protagonist of that film, unrecognizable with a horse tail and a handlebar mustache. “It is he who, in the trailer, screams:” They killed my lizard! “”, Ride Aronofsky.
The poor lizard is part of the absurd tangle in which Hank is entangled. For the boy, it will be a real war on multiple fronts: “Austin against everyone: Russians, Orthodox Jews, Puerto Richals … Nobody will give him respite,” says Aronofsky.
Among the most memorable opponents, two members of the Jewish mafia: Liev Schreiber (Lipa) e Vincent d’Onofrio (Shmully), Orthodox brothers, apparently gentlemen, who, while rigidly respecting religious rules, do not scruple to violate the laws of the city, county and state of New York. “I don’t want to spoil too much,” says Aronofsky, “but they are true children of good woman. In their head, they feel the executioners. Giuliani, on the other hand, would certainly have removed them from circulation ».
Yet, in their portfolio there is not only the ruthlessness. While using the strong ways with Hank, the two, between one threat and another, drag him to eat Matzo Ball Soup prepared by Carol Kaneprotective Jewish mother convinced that the boy is “too thin”.
Butler tells that Schreiber and D’Onofrio formed a Talmemnte couple closely to push him to film the dialogues that improvised between one Ciak and the other. “They made me die laughing. They had an incredible comic chemistry. “
In the cast of Caught stealing c ‘It is also Benito Antonio MartÃnez Ocasiobetter known as Bad Bunny, in the role of Colorado, a Puerto Rican gangster with an easy trigger. “He is the sweetest boy in the world,” says the director. «Our casting director Mary Vernieu He said to me: “Benito is interested in acting”, and speaking with him I understood that he was perfect for the character, “says Aronofsky. It was fantastic: humble, available, an integral part of the team ».
There was only one problem: even in a film already full of stars, Ocasio attracted immense attention. “We were constantly terrified by the fact that the neighborhood was stormed as soon as the rumor was scattered that Benito was on the set,” confesses Aronofsky. “It was at the game: he knew that once he arrived, he would no longer be able to return to his caravan.”
To bring it to the set and bring it away without creating chaos, ingenious ways had to devise themselves.
“We used secondary exits, tunnels of which no one knew the existence in the East Village, jumping fences … We made him do everything to avoid the main road,” says Aronofsky. “” Benito hide! ” He had become our mantra. “
Source: Vanity Fair
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