Everyone’s favorite John Goodman movie, Coyote Ugly, turned 15 this year. This is only important to a handful of people, one of whom is me, because, for reasons I’ll leave to your imagination, Coyote Ugly was one of the first films I bought on DVD. What an investment that proved to be.
Anyway, the Hollywood Reporter spoke to director David McNally, screenwriter Gina Wendkos, and stars Piper Perabo, Bridget Moynahan, and Maria Bello about the women-dancing-on-bars-and-also-feminism movie, which “began its life when Jerry Bruckheimer optioned a magazine article — about the real-life downtown NYC bar of the same name — and began looking for a writer.” In stepped Wendkos, whose script was re-written by, among others, Kevin Smith. They didn’t use his draft, however, because it was “pretty raunchy” and was “missing an emotional element to the relationship thing.”
Also!
Casting the lead role of Violet was no easy task. “We did our due diligence and saw everybody,” McNally says. The director admits that Jessica Simpson was a “contender” for the role, with Perabo adding that Jewel was also up for the part. “Toward the end of the process, Piper walked in,” McNally explains. “She was actually from New Jersey and seemed to get it.” He adds that “everyone loved” her screen test, and “that was the end of that.” (Via)
Coyote Ugly is certified 22% “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. If Jessica Simpson had starred in it, that would be the second highest rating of her career, behind only America the Beautiful (70%), but above The Love Guru (14%), Blonde Ambition (14%), The Dukes of Hazzard (13%), and The Master of Disguise (1%).
Can’t fight the moonlight, or horrible reviews.
(Via the Hollywood Reporter)
