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FILM 1130: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

TRIVIA: Tilda Swinton underwent hours in the makeup chair to play the 84-year-old dowager Madame D. "We're not usually working with a vast, Bruckheimer-type budget on my films, so often we're trying a work-around," said Wes Anderson. "But for the old-age makeup I just said, 'Let's get the most expensive people we can.'"

Wes Anderson's seventh collaboration with Bill Murray.

Saoirse Ronan's character is responsible for making the hotel's signature confection, the Courtisane au Chocolat. "Making them wasn't easy," says Ronan. "Forget the action scenes in Hanna (2011) - these little pastries were the hardest thing I've had to do in a movie."

Angela Lansbury was originally cast in the movie but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with the stage production of Driving Miss Daisy and was replaced by Tilda Swinton.

The cast have nineteen Oscar nominations combined, there are only 4 wins, Tilda Swinton for Michael Clayton, F. Murray Abraham for Amadeus, Adrien Brody for The Pianist, and Fisher Stevens for The Cove.

The name of the fictional Republic of Zubrowka comes from the Polish vodka brand Zubrowka - which is vodka seasoned with Bison grass.

Johnny Depp was Wes Anderson's initial choice for the role of M. Gustave.