Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1490669
The heat of summer 2021 in Los Angeles was absolutely brutal. It was in the triple digits and oddly humid. Keeping redness from showing through corrective make-up is a challenge, especially in the driving scenes. We were all over Los Angeles and out in Lancaster and Simi Valley. Depicting December in New Jersey with fake snow and Christmas decorations in July while wearing summer gear is nothing short of odd! Everyone sweating in wool coats. I had a wonderful partnership with Gloria Casny on this. She and her team are so talented, cool as cucumbers, clever, resilient, and fun to be with. What an honor to get to work with her! Mark Bridges called me and said, "Gloria Casny is available!" I was thrilled. My main team was Kim Ayers, Heather Plott, and Caitlin Martini. Hanny Eisen shared background artist responsibilities with Caitlin. Other artists who made frequent appearances were Mara Rouse, Marcel Banks, Jamie Leigh DeVilla, Levi Vieira, Mike Mekash, Cary Ayers, Margaux Lancaster, Vance Hartwell, and so many more. The boss toasted the first production on new stages in Santa Clarita, and before the last shot, toasted his cast and thanked his many longtime crew who have been by his side. Not only did we all get to see this brilliant filmmaker recreate his complicated childhood memories and the emotions that came with that, we also got to hear him say, "the train isn't working!" That's about as close as we will get the Jaws set. I'm still a little speechless after attending the premiere. I'm honored, happy, and proud of our work. It was so special to have Lois ask me to be on a project helmed by Spielberg, filmed by Janusz Kaminski (what a joy to go back to 35mm!), and score by John Williams. Watching the Amblin emblem with Elliott on his bike flying past the moon reminded me that just down the road from the Chinese Theater, I saw E.T. at the Cinerama Dome in 1982. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would get to be on a film this incredible. • L-R: Sal (Gustavo Escobar), Roger (Gabriel Bateman), Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), Hark (Nicolas Cantu), Dean (Lane Factor) and Turkey (Cooper Dodson) Seth Rogen as Uncle Benny L-R: Keeley Karsten as Natalie Fabelman, Sophia Kopera as Lisa Fabelman and Julia Butters as Reggie Fabelman