FILM 1759: I, TONYA

FILM 1759: I, TONYA

TRIVIA: Allison Janney had seriously trained to become a figure skater throughout her childhood and adolescence. However, when she was 17, she accidentally walked into a sliding glass door and gravely injured her right leg. In 2014, during an interview on "Fresh Air," Janney told interviewer Terry Gross that her leg came close to being amputated. "I lost like three-quarters of my blood. I lost an artery and cut tendon....I was in the hospital for like seven--seven, eight weeks. I missed my first year of college. You know, and after that, of course, I didn't really--I didn't skate for a very long time."

Although Margot Robbie trained extensively for the role, she wasn't able to perform a triple axel, nor could a skating double be found as very few women figure skaters are able to perform the jump, producer Tom Ackerley stated, "There has been only six women since Tonya who have done a triple axel, even if there was one who was doing it today, she'd be training for the Olympics and couldn't risk doing it for the film." The jump was accomplished with the use of visual effects.

To prevent damaging her hair, Margot Robbie wears wigs as Tonya Harding. Surprisingly, the hair team used beer to achieve the "crunchy" permed look when regular hair products didn't produce the desired result.

Nancy Kerrigan stated in interviews relating to her Dancing with the Stars (2005) appearance that she wouldn't be seeing the movie despite not knowing how much of it would feature her, saying "I already lived through that."

Steven Rogers' script was featured on the 2016 Black List of the most-liked, unproduced scripts of the year.

Margot Robbie is five inches taller than Tonya Harding.

I, Tonya marks the third film Margot Robbie has features in in which breaking the fourth wall is a prominent part of the plot. The other two being The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and The Big Short (2015). On I, Tonya and The Big Short her characters (Tonya Harding and, basically herself) speak to the audience, whereas her character in The Wolf of Wall Street (Naomi Lapaglia) does not.

FILM 1641: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN 

TRIVIA: Alexander Skarsgård said that one of the main reasons he took this role was to impress his father Stellan Skarsgård. He said, "My dad is a massive Tarzan fan. Growing up, we had these VHS cassettes of the Johnny Weissmuller films, and that was my introduction to the character. But those films are seventy years old, and so much time has passed, that I think mine is a fresh take. I'll never compete with Johnny Weissmuller, but I just wanted to impress my father. He was thrilled; he was more excited than I was."

In the scene where Jane and Captain Rom are eating dinner, she crosses her fork and knife. The Captain rings the bell, and tells the servant Lady Clayton is finished. After she leaves, he places her knife and fork beside each other. In formal dining, when people cross their silverware, it means they did not enjoy the meal. When they are placed next to each other, it means they are finished.

Alexander Skarsgård's first cheat meal occurred more than five months into his training. Skarsgård had been on a very strict diet for five straight months, avoiding any fat completely, as he was in the process of developing an eight-pack. He said, "It was a Sunday, and we were training hard in the gym, and my trainer saw that my will to live was fading. He told me to put down the weights and he took me to lunch. That day he let me order whatever I wanted. I got to eat pizza, pasta, tiramisu. I get emotional just talking about that day." On the last day of filming, the crew congratulated him on the end of his diet by gifting him with a huge "Banoffee Pie," a British dessert. Skarsgård said that to celebrate, he ate the entire pie by himself, in a single sitting.

Alexander Skarsgård joked that he would like Tarzan to be drastically different in the sequel because of the heavy workout and diet demands on him. He said, "We have an outline already in which Tarzan gains weight. Tarzan remains hairy and does not have eight pack abs. It has no action and Tarzan eats cake, lots of cake. I wrote it."

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was in talks to play Tarzan. Ironically, Johnny Weissmuller was an Olympic swimmer before landing in the role of the title character in the 1932 film and its multiple sequels.

FILM 1560: SUICIDE SQUAD

TRIVIA: The majority of the cast and crew got the tattoo "SKWAD" in honor of this film. The tattoos were even applied by some of the cast members, Margot Robbie and Will Smith.

Tom Hardy was originally cast as Rick Flag but dropped out to due The Revenant (2015). Hardy had previously played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), who was a former member of the Suicide Squad in the comic books. Hardy later expressed his regret at leaving the role, given he did not want to lose the work.

To try and find the perfect Joker laugh, Jared Leto publicly tried different laughs in New York City and Toronto to see which ones made people the most uncomfortable.

In May 2016, Warner Bros. announced that Margot Robbie would be producing and reprising her role as Harley Quinn in an upcoming Untitled Harley Quinn Project. Not much has been revealed about the project, but it is rumored to be focused on the female heroes and villains of the DC Universe.

Jared Leto got so immersed in playing The Joker that he wouldn't break out of character on set even when he wasn't filming. He even sent his fellow cast members "Joker-like" presents: a live rat to Margot Robbie and bullets to Will Smith, a soiled Playboy magazine to Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and a dead hog, anal beads and used condoms for the whole crew. Scott Eastwood commented that Leto frightened him at times with his behavior, and Smith mentioned that he actually never met the real Leto.

Ryan Gosling was sought out first for the role of The Joker. He reportedly turned down the role because he did not want to sign on for a multi-picture deal that the studio was requiring.

Ben Affleck is the first actor to portray Batman in two movies helmed by different directors. He is also the first actor to portray Batman in two different movies within the same year.

Viola Davis read M.E. Thomas' autobiography "Confessions of a Sociopath" to prepare for her role as Amanda Waller.

FILM 1392: Z FOR ZACHARIAH

TRIVIA: Although set in the Midwestern United States of America, the film was shot entirely in New Zealand's Banks Peninsula. The two areas share a similar geography.

Tobey Maguire was originally cast as the lead role.

After leaving the filming wrap party in Methven, New Zealand, Chris Pine was pulled over by police and charged with drunk driving. He pleaded guilty and was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $93 in reparation. He was let off a fine after making a sizable donation to charity.