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Thomas Bidegain, acclaimed French screenwriter and frequent collaborator of Jacques Audiard, recently unveiled his second directorial venture in France titled “Soudain Seuls.” However, the film's journey took an unexpected turn, as disclosed in the latest issue of Technikart, shedding light on the collapse of a once-promising $30 million project titled “Suddenly,” WordofReel reports. Originally intended for production in 2021 with Jake Gyllenhaal and Vanessa Kirby as the lead couple, they wanted to shoot the film in English, attracting attention from A-listers like Margot Robbie.
However, the project crumbled, primarily due to Gyllenhaal's alleged erratic behavior. Gyllenhaal, not just the lead actor but also a producer, reportedly exhibited capricious and power-hungry tendencies.
Eight weeks before production and as sets were under construction, Gyllenhaal insisted on a comprehensive rewrite and rethinking of the entire project. The actor's demands, from trivial requests like driving a car of specific colors to extreme paranoia, such as instructing set constructors to sleep in their cars to avoid potential COVID transmission, led to a tumultuous atmosphere on set.
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The Technikart report portrays Gyllenhaal's behavior as bordering on psychopathic, citing instances of the actor yelling at the director and even conducting the first reading rehearsal in the accent of Pepe Le Pew. Perhaps the strangest anecdote involved Gyllenhaal impulsively stripping to his underwear and plunging into the freezing ocean while visiting set locations, explaining, “When I see the sea, I swim in the sea.” The crew, including Bidegain, were all shocked by this act.
Ultimately, Bidegain had to concede defeat and make a “heartbreaking” call to producer Alain Attal, signaling the demise of the project. “Our visions diverge too much. We won't be able to shoot in September. It's all over, and the €26 million is gone!”
