Popular romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, with director Andy Tennant revealing some surprising new details.
In the film, Reese Witherspoon – who ditched her legendary Legally Blonde – played a New York socialite who returns to her hometown of Alabama to finalize her divorce.
The film did well, earning $180.6 million worldwide on a budget of just $30 million, although Tenant revealed in an interview with Insider that Charlize Theron was set to star first, not Witherspoon.
New Details: The popular romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, with director Andy Tennant revealing some surprising new details
Charlize: The Movie did well, earning $180.6 million worldwide on a budget of just $30 million, although Tenant revealed in an interview with Insider that Charlize was set to star Theron first, not Witherspoon
The tenant revealed that he was first given the script before filming Anna and the King in 1999, after which he was thrown in “director’s prison” and received the script again.
“I think Reese’s character’s fiancé was a perfect tool and the guy down south was a handsome, handsome guy. I think he was a stock car driver. Why don’t we do a love triangle where the love choices are between a great man and the right man? That became our polar star, so to speak,” Tenant said.
He ended up rewriting the script with Rick Parks, with a trip to Alabama contributing to many changes, including the addition of a Civil War reenactment to the story.
Character: “I think Reese’s character’s fiancé was a perfect tool and the guy down south was a handsome, handsome guy. I think he was a stock car driver. Why don’t we do a love triangle where the love choices are between a great man and the right man? That became our polar star, so to speak,” Tenant said
However, his rewrites with Parks resulted in Theron being expelled as she was originally involved in the project.
“Charlize and her production company were the original clients behind the project. They developed it for Charlize as the lead. When I rewrote with Rick, she wasn’t a fan, so we all parted ways,” Tenant said.
He added that he’s known Witherspoon since they were teenagers and directed her in the 1992 TV movie Desperate Choices: To Save My Child, which is only Witherspoon’s third role.
Attached: However, his paraphrases with Parks caused Theron to be expelled as she was originally involved in the project
Original: “Charlize and her production company were the original clients behind the project. They developed it for Charlize as the lead. When I rewrote with Rick, she wasn’t a fan, so we all parted ways,” Tenant said
He added that they’ve stayed in touch over the years and have lunch once a year, and they met for lunch right after he turned in his new Sweet Home Alabama script.
“We were just catching up and I was like, ‘What are you up to?’ And she said, “I made this film that no one will see. It’s silly, but it was really fun to make.” And that turned out to be Legally Blonde,” he said.
Legally Blonde was a surprise box-office hit, earning $141.7 million worldwide on a budget of just $18 million, leading to Witherspoon’s casting in Sweet Home Alabama.
Keeping in Touch: He added that they’ve kept in touch over the years and have lunch once a year, and they met for lunch right after he turned in his new Sweet Home Alabama script
“And then Legally Blonde came out and I got a call from the studio and they said, ‘What do you think of Reese Witherspoon?’ And I said, ‘I’ve known her since she was 15. She would be amazing.” And then Reese called me and said, “You’ll never believe this, they sent me your script!” Tenant said.
“The only reason Sweet Home Alabama was filmed was because it was Legally Blonde,” Tenant added.
The film also starred Patrick Dempsey, Candice Bergen, Jean Smart, Mary Kay Place, Fred Ward, Ethan Embry and Melanie Lynskey.
Call: “And then Legally Blonde came out and I got a call from the studio and they said, ‘What do you think of Reese Witherspoon?’ And I said, ‘I’ve known her since she was 15. She would be amazing.” And then Reese called me and said, “You’ll never believe this, they sent me your script!” Tenant said
Single Reason: “The only reason Sweet Home Alabama was filmed was because it was Legally Blonde,” Tenant added