Emma Stone needed to “blackmail” a Succession star to stop him from dropping out of their movie that is now critically acclaimed. Stone’s breakout role was in the 2007 comedy Superbad, which was also her film debut. Starring roles in the post-apocalyptic comedy Zombieland and the high school comedy Easy A brought her further recognition. Stone began to make her mark in other genres as well with her role as Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan in The Help and as Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
These projects were followed by several of Emma Stone’s best movies, many of which earned her Academy Award nominations or wins, including for her performances in Birdman, La La Land, The Favourite, and Poor Things. Along with continuing her award-winning acting career, Stone has been producing movies as well. Her first producer credit was for When You Finish Saving the World, a comedy-drama movie directed and written by her Zombieland co-star Jesse Eisenberg. Stone is also a producer for A Real Pain, a comedy-drama that Eisenberg directs, writes, and stars in.
Emma Stone “Blackmailed” Kieran Culkin To Stay Involved In A Real Pain
He Tried To Leave The Movie Two Weeks Before Filming Began
Stone had to convince Succession‘s Kieran Culkin not to drop out of A Real Pain, which sees Eisenberg and Culkin playing cousins David and Benji, who go on a Holocaust tour of Poland to honor their late grandmother. A Real Pain‘s reviews have been positive, with the movie receiving a 96% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Culkin has received a great deal of acclaim for his performance as the troubled, charming, impulsive, and wise Benji, including a Golden Globe Award nomination.
A Real Pain received four Golden Globe Award nominations.
As per Collider, during the Palm Springs Film Festival, Eisenberg shared how Stone ensured that Culkin did not exit A Real Pain two weeks before filming began. Eisenberg revealed that, without him knowing, Stone “literally took [Culkin] off the plane with his kids and flew to Poland with him.” Culkin arrived to rehearsal late despite the schedule being organized around him, but his involvement in the movie was still secure. Check out Eisenberg’s comments below:
“[Kieran] was trying to drop out of the movie two weeks before we were shooting. Like all the money had been spent, and he was trying to drop out in New York. So one of our producers, Emma Stone, essentially like blackmailed him to come back to the movie behind my back, and literally took him off the plane with his kids and flew to Poland with him.
I have a video of her holding his kid’s hands going through customs like a proof of life video that he made it, and he showed up to rehearsal late, even though we had made the rehearsal around when his plane was getting in.”
Emma Stone Saved A Real Pain
Eisenberg’s comments prove that Stone is the unsung hero of A Real Pain. The movie is phenomenal in its ability to ask difficult questions without providing easy answers, all while providing a delicate balance between its comedy and drama. Culkin’s performance is a key element of the movie’s success. As someone who might be nominated for the Oscars’ Best Supporting Actor, if he does win, he should thank Emma Stone in his acceptance speech for ensuring he did not exit A Real Pain.
Source: Collider
A Real Pain explores themes of identity and loss as two estranged families confront their shared and tumultuous pasts. Through intertwining narratives, the film delves into the complexities of familial relationships and the enduring impact of unresolved grief.
- Release Date
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January 20, 2024
- Runtime
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90 Minutes
- Cast
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Jesse Eisenberg
, Kieran Culkin
, Will Sharpe
, Jennifer Grey
, Kurt Egyiawan
, Liza Sadovy
, Daniel Oreskes
, Ellora Torchia
, Jakub Gąsowski
, Krzysztof Jaszczak
, Piotr Czarniecki
, Marek Kasprzyk - Director
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Jesse Eisenberg
- Writers
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Jesse Eisenberg