Writer/producer is in the running for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay
By Robert Goldrich
It’s been a gratifying awards season for writer/producer Anthony McCarten who last month earned his first career Oscar nominations–Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay–on the strength of The Theory of Everything (Focus Features), which tells the remarkable story of renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking who falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde. Directed by James Marsh, The Theory of Everything is based on Jane Wilde Hawking’s memoir, "Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen." The movie has earned a total of five Academy Award noms, the others being for Best Leading Actor (Eddie Redmayne), Best Leading Actress (Felicity Jones) and Best Original Score (composer Johann Johannsson).
McCarten has also earned three BAFTA Award noms for The Theory of Everything: Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film. Theory additionally landed a PGA Award nomination for Outstanding Producer of a Theatrical Motion Pictures.
McCarten’s first international success came years back with his play Ladies Night. Translated into 12 languages, it is his native country New Zealand’s most commercially successful play of all time. In 2001, Ladies Night earned McCarten France’s premiere theatre award for comedy, the Molière Prize.
His novels have been translated into 14 languages. His first, "Spinners," was voted one of the Top 10 novels of 2000 by Esquire Magazine. In 2005, his second novel, "The English Harem," became an international bestseller. His third novel, "Death of a Superhero," won the 2008 Austrian Youth Literature Prize and was a finalist for the 2008 German Youth Literature Prize.
McCarten adapted, from his novel, and executive-produced Death of a Superhero; the feature was directed by Ian Fitzgibbon and starred Andy Serkis, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and Aisling Loftus. The movie was nominated for three Irish Film and Television Awards: Best Film, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Michael McElhatton). McCarten also adapted, from his novel, the feature The English Harem; directed by Robin Sheppard, the film starred Martine McCutcheon and Art Malik.
McCarten wrote and directed Show of Hands, adapted from his novel; the film starred Craig Hall and was nominated for three New Zealand Film and TV Awards, including Best Feature, Best Actress (Melanie Lynskey), and Best Director. He also adapted and directed the feature Via Satellite, from his own play, starring Karl Urban and Danielle Cormack; the film won two New Zealand Film and TV Awards, for Best Supporting Actress (Jodie Dorday) and Best Editing.
SHOOT: How did you become involved in The Theory of Everything?
McCarten: I initiated the project in 2004 after reading Jane Hawkings book, "Travelling to Infinity." I thought I knew Stephen Hawkings’ story. I knew who he was. I knew something of his achievements and his battle with ALS. But in reading Jane’s book, everything I thought I knew was eclipsed by everything I didn’t know. It’s an incredible story of two people working together and refusing to let this brutal disease silence important work. And it was a one-of-a-kind love story. I thought if I could marry these extremely sensitive insights into their lives with the story of the science and of the disease, it would make for an interesting mix of ingredients for a film.
So I decided to become a stalker. I got on a train and presented myself at Jane Hawkings’ door as a stranger. I begged her to let me obtain the movie rights to her book. I naively imagined that my charm would elicit a signature that afternoon. But it took eight years for her to finally sign. On that first afternoon, though, she went so far as to say, “I will let you write a script.” But there were no assurances, no guarantees.
I showed her a draft and a couple more after that. Otherwise I spent years building trust with her, staying in touch, reassuring her, later bringing her children on board and eventually Stephen himself. By that time I had teamed with producer Lisa Bruce whom I was introduced to through my agent. From there we went to James Marsh who said he was surprised by the script. He had expected a standard biopic but instead read about an interesting and unorthodox marriage. With James on board [as director], the whole landscape changed–from one of disinterest and being pigeonholed into a small TV movie to all of a sudden investors seeing the real potential of this story. We were suddenly overwhelmed with offers, including the commitment from Working Title, a preeminent film company.
SHOOT: What were the biggest challenges this project posed to you as a writer?
McCarten: There were so many challenges. For one, corralling 27 years of married life into two hours. Another was somehow getting myself to the point of understanding the science enough to make it cinematic and for a general audience. And rendering the love story was an extremely delicate process. It felt like micro-surgery. It’s a love story, a horror story about a disease, a story of science.
SHOOT: Would you reflect on what the two Oscar nominations mean to you?
McCarten: There’s the human thrill of being acknowledged for doing something worthwhile and interesting. Hopefully it will open up new opportunities, new stories, the chance to work with the best people.
SHOOT: What’s next?
McCarten: There are different projects in development, including my working on a screenplay for Hack Attack, with George Clooney directing.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More