Beloved romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, with director Andy Tennant revealing some surprising new details.
The film starred Reese Witherspoon – stepping out of her iconic Legally Blonde – as a New York socialite who returns to her hometown of Alabama to finalize her divorce.
The film did well, earning $180.6 million worldwide on a budget of just $30 million, although Tenant revealed in an interview with Insider that Charlize Theron was set to star first, not Witherspoon.
New details: Beloved romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, with director Andy Tennant revealing surprising new details
Charlize: The Movie did well, earning $180.6 million worldwide on a budget of just $30 million, although Tenant revealed in an interview with Insider that Charlize Theron had to star first, not Witherspoon
The Tenant revealed he first received the script before making Anna and the King in 1999, after which he was thrown into “director’s jail” and received the script again.
“I think Reese’s character fiancé was a complete tool and the southern guy was a good looking guy. I think he was a stock car driver. Why not have a love triangle where the love choices are between a great guy and the right guy? It kind of became our North Star,” Tenant said.
He ended up rewriting the script with Rick Parks, with a trip to Alabama adding in many changes, including putting a Civil War re-enactment into the story.
Character: “I think Reese’s character’s fiancé was a complete tool and the southern guy was a nice, handsome guy. I think he was a stock car racer. Why not make a love triangle where the Love choices are between a great guy and the right guy? It’s kind of become our North Star,’ Tenant said.
However, her rewrites with Parks ended up driving Theron away, as she was originally attached to the project.
“Charlize and her production company were originally responsible for the project. They were developing it for Charlize to play. When I did the rewrite with Rick, I don’t think she was a fan and so everyone parted ways ” Tenant said.
He added that he had known Witherspoon since she was a teenager, directing her in the 1992 TV movie Desperate Choices: To Save My Child, which was only Witherspoon’s third role.
Attached: However, her rewrites with Parks ended up driving Theron away, as she was originally attached to the project
Original: “Charlize and her production company were originally responsible for the project. They were developing it for Charlize to play. When I did the rewrite with Rick, I don’t think she was a fan and so everyone was is separate,’ Tenant said
He added that they had stayed in touch over the years and had lunch once a year, and they met for lunch right after he turned in his new Sweet Home Alabama Script.
“We were just catching up and I asked, ‘What did you do? And she said, “I made this movie that nobody’s going to see. It’s silly but it was really fun to make.” And it turned out to be “Legally Blonde,” he said.
Legally Blonde was a surprise box office hit, earning $141.7 million worldwide on a budget of just $18 million, which led to Witherspoon being cast in Sweet Home Alabama.
Stayed in touch: He added that they had stayed in touch over the years and would have lunch once a year, and they met for lunch right after he delivered his new Sweet Home Alabama script
“And then ‘Legally Blonde’ came out, and I got a call from the studio and they were like, ‘What do you think of Reese Witherspoon? And I was like, ‘I’ve known her since she was 15. She’d be great.’ And then Reese called me and said, ‘You’ll never believe they sent me your script!’ Tenant said.
“The only reason Sweet Home Alabama was created was because of Legally Blonde,” Tenant added.
The film also starred Patrick Dempsey, Candice Bergen, Jean Smart, Mary Kay Place, Fred Ward, Ethan Embry and Melanie Lynskey.
Call: “And then ‘Legally Blonde’ came out, and I got a call from the studio and they were like, ‘What do you think of Reese Witherspoon? And I was like, ‘I’ve known her since she was 15. She’d be great.’ And then Reese called me and said, “You’re never going to believe this, they sent me your script!” ‘The tenant said
Only reason: “The only reason Sweet Home Alabama was created was because of Legally Blonde,” the tenant added