| ABOUT
THE STORY
At
its core, "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" is a metaphor
for the games people play in their unconscious efforts to protect
themselves from genuine intimacy. Revolving around two very charismatic
individuals who look like they belong together but who are in a
situation that has disaster written all over it, the film is full
of surprises.
As
for the film's two main stars, Academy Award nominee and Golden
Globe winner Kate Hudson ("Almost Famous") and Matthew
McConaughey ("Frailty," "The Wedding Planner"),
the mix of romance and comedy in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
appears to be made for them.
"I
thought the script was really special. It was clever and even a
little edgy, and I liked the way it turns dating on its head,"
says Hudson. "It was also wonderful having the chance to work
with Matthew, who is as sweet as he is handsome."
McConaughey
has equal praise for his co-star as well as the film. "I feel
really lucky to be involved with a movie that is going to touch
so many hearts," says the actor, adding that he couldn't imagine
working opposite anyone other than Hudson. "Kate is unbelievably
talented and I think she brought out the best in me."
Director
Donald Petrie says that besides the onscreen appeal of the two main
stars, what he finds most endearing about "How to Lose a Guy
in 10 Days" is its unpredictability.
"My
initial barometer for a funny script is, did it make me laugh out
loud, and this one did," says Petrie. "It's filled with
flip-flops and unexpected curves which really make it stand out
from other films in the romantic comedy genre."
According
to producer Lynda Obst, who has a number of successful romantic
comedies under her belt, including the multi-Oscar , Golden Globe-nominated
"Sleepless in Seattle," what makes this film particularly
special is the delicate balance it has between witty dialogue and
a romance-driven plot.
"Most
films in this genre focus more on the potential for love than on
the humor, but this movie is unique in that it's equally funny and
romantic," says Obst, who points out that one of the secrets
to a great romantic comedy is that the audience understands that
the characters belong together way before they do. "It's also
very important to design characters that genuinely do fit together,"
adds Obst, "and to make them real enough to allow people to
fantasize about themselves in the roles."
Based
upon Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long's How to Lose a Guy in 10
Days, the film, is a clever cautionary tale that illustrates what
not to do if you want to hang onto a guy. Producer Christine Peters,
president of the Robert Evans Company, who discovered the book,
says that from the moment she saw the book, she knew it would make
a great film.
"The
book was adorable," recalls Peters. "It reflected not
only things I've gone through, but also what so many others -- women
and men -- have experienced through their own trials with relationships.
The film illustrates it all perfectly."
Peters'
producing partner, Robert Evans, agrees. "This movie captures
my sentiments exactly -- any man who thinks he knows the mind of
a woman is a man who knows nothing, and any woman who thinks she
knows the mind of a man is absolutely right," quips Evans.
"But seriously, it is indeed rare to make a film that women
and men will relate to equally, a film that opens up relationships
in a way never explored before with a unique brand of humor."
Two-time
Emmy winner for Best Supporting Actress in the comedy series "Cheers,"
Bebe Neuwirth, who plays the editor-in-chief of Composure Magazine,
says that the film has something for everyone.
"There's
a little something reflected from our own lives in this film and
people are going to see a part of the courting dance they've experienced
in their own lives," says Neuwirth. "It's a very funny
movie and extremely entertaining."
According
to Obst, the film is basically poking fun at the gender war. "All
the plotting people do, all the schemes they create in order to
win this battle between the sexes is just everyone's way of protecting
themselves," observes Obst. "Underneath it all, everyone
is really longing for is genuine affection and they get so caught
up in the game, they often forget that the object is connection
not victory."
Peters
agrees, and credits the performances of Kate Hudson and Matthew
McConaughey, along with Donald Petrie's "brilliant directorial
talents" for the success of bringing this gender war to life.
"Kate
and Matthew not only look great together but they also make their
characters really come alive with sterling performances," she
says. "For all the talent and beguiling beauty Kate brings
to the screen, Matthew matches it with his own talent, good looks
and charm."
Evans
points to the director's track record. "Donald has proven himself
time after time with romantic comedies, and now he's done it again.
The man is simply a maestro. The way he conducts and orchestrates
the set, he hits every note every time."
Petrie,
who has directed the likes of Julia Roberts in "Mystic Pizza"
and Sandra Bullock in "Miss Congeniality," says that besides
the clever script, what attracted him most to "How to Lose
a Guy in 10 Days" was the chance to work with Academy Award®
nominee and Golden Globe winner Kate Hudson.
"Kate's
debut in 'Almost Famous' showed what an astonishing talent she is,
and now this film will showcase her incredible comedic timing,"
says Petrie, adding that audiences will also find Hudson's acting
style as unpredictable and endearing as the film.
"Every
time Kate does a take, she does it differently," notes Petrie.
"Ten actresses might read a line one way, but Kate does it
in the most unexpected way that radiates across the screen. She's
also a very generous actress. She never takes a scene, she shares
it, and that's what sparks chemistry."
Indeed,
one of the main reasons why "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
works so well is the easy interaction between the two main stars.
"We
got very lucky with Kate and Matthew," says Obst. "They
have so much chemistry they bounce light off of each other. They
make each other more beautiful."
While
Obst had never worked with Hudson before, she had worked with McConaughey
in "Contact" and was thrilled to be working with him again.
"Matthew
is like girl candy," says Obst. "He's a sexy Texas good-old
boy, and it's hilarious to see him in this gender war. His masculinity
is so innate that I think it'll keep the men in the audience rooting
for his ultimate victory, and the women will just love looking at
him."
Kate
Hudson points out that her character, Andie Anderson, is also someone
both genders will be rooting for. "Andie is a savvy New York
working girl who has bigger aspirations than writing about mascara
and laser treatments," says Hudson. "She's the girl that
everyone wants to be and the kind of woman every guy wants to date.
Of course, while she appears to be perfect, she's not. She's afraid
to be vulnerable just like most of us. After all, there's so much
more to risk when you let down your guard."
McConaughey
believes that his character, Benjamin Barry, is very similar to
Andie, and like her, there's very little not to like about him.
"Women
are going to just love Ben," says McConaughey. "He shows
amazing patience under extreme duress. And men are going to totally
relate to how Andie tests this poor guy to the max. I mean, she
rearranges his bathroom, she changes his music, she redoes his apartment
and she even invades his poker game. Still, I found myself actually
rooting for them to get together," admits the actor. "They
both have walls up, and when they finally let down the barriers
and for a moment become real with one another, it's very gratifying."
Adam
Goldberg, who has had supporting roles in such films as "A
Beautiful Mind" and "Saving Private Ryan," says that
he was proud to play one of McConaughey's sidekicks (Tony) in a
film "as cleverly written" as "How to Lose a Guy
in 10 Days."
"This
film definitely isn't just a chick flick," the actor points
out. "A lot of guys are going to know exactly what Matthew's
character is going through. Besides that, it's a smart picture."
Portraying
Andie's best friends Michelle and Jeannie are Kathryn Hahn and Annie
Parisse. Together, Andie, Michelle and Jeannie have seen each other
through countless relationships and a ton of heartbreak, and they've
always been there for one another.
Hahn,
who comes to her role in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
straight out of Yale Drama School, emerges in the film as a new
comedic talent. She sees Michelle as a woman who is basically a
mess when it comes to relationships.
"Disappointment
is a great thing to look for in a relationship because it's not
hard to find," quips Hahn. "Like Michelle, I'm clueless
about dating guys. In fact, I'm a virtuoso at failed relationships."
While
Michelle is the hopeless romantic of the three girls, Jeannie is
the ultimate cynic. "My character is a pragmatist, a realistic,
cutting-edge career woman who looks a problem straight in the eye
and attacks with gusto," says Parrise. "She is definitely
skeptical when it comes to relationships…like a lot of us."
As
for Bebe Neuwirth, whose character Lana, is modeled after the great
fashion editors of such magazines as Harper's Bazaar and Vogue,
it was fun playing the no-nonsense editor-in-chief of Composure
Magazine.
"Lana's
a powerful woman who's very good at her job," observes Neuwirth,
adding with a wicked grin, "but more importantly, she gets
to wear a Harry Winston diamond tiara and some extremely cool clothes
in this film."
Besides
the diamond-bedecked Neuwirth, "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
features several other dazzling supporting cast members, including
veteran entertainer Robert Klein, who plays Phillip Warren, head
of the Warren Advertising Group and Ben's boss; Thomas Lennon, who
portrays Thayer, one of Ben's co-conspirators and sidekicks at the
ad agency; and Michael Michele and Shalom Harlow, who play Spears
and Green, a pair of smart and unflappable ad agency women, who
think they know how to sell diamonds better than anyone…especially
Ben.
"This
film is definitely equal in the gender department," observes
Obst. "It's about how men see women and women see men, and
all the things they find utterly mysterious about each other."
ABOUT
THE PRODUCTION
Exterior
shots for "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" were shot entirely
in New York, firmly placing it in one of the most romantic cities
in the world. Principal photography began in Greenwich Village,
highlighting familiar romantic spots such as the Staten Island Ferry,
against the backdrop of the famous New York skyline, and such atmospheric
settings as Madison Square Garden and the Manhattan Bridge.
The
regal Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House in the financial district
was transformed into the Astor Museum of Art, scene of the Warren
Advertising Agency's lavish black-tie party. The Conde Naste building
at the famed intersection of 42nd and Broadway became home to Composure
Magazine, while a loft in Soho was chosen for Ben's home.
"New
York is absolutely one of the stars of this picture," says
producer Lynda Obst, a native New Yorker herself. "It's like
no other place on earth, and after September 11th, it was thrilling
to come back to the city and see the restaurants renewed and people
filled with vigor again, determined to live the same life they have
always enjoyed. That kind of vitality runs throughout the entire
film."
After
the two-week shoot in New York, the cast and crew moved to Canada
to start filming the interiors, the most exciting of which was the
star-studded party full of extras dressed in shimmering gowns and
glossy tuxedos. In addition, $15,000,000 worth of Harry Winston
diamond jewelry adorned the principals and spilled over in large
snifters and bowls. Because of their high value, these shimmering
props were guarded by security people who were impossible to distinguish
from the actors wearing earplugs and carrying walkie-talkies portraying
security people. The dazzling scene was the gala kick-off to the
diamond campaign hosted by Warren Advertising. It was also where
Andie and Ben discover the truth about their relationship.
While
the scene was already a lot of fun to shoot, it really became a
treat for everyone when Marvin Hamlisch gave a spontaneous concert
of his original songs and Bebe Neuwirth and Robert Klein sung them.
"I
walked onto the set and everyone was singing," remembers Obst.
"It wasn't in the script and yet it was one of the most spontaneous
moments of movie magic I've ever witnessed."
One
thing that was very planned, however, was the costuming, and because
the two main characters and most of the supporting cast worked either
in fashion or in advertising, their clothing had to reflect the
contemporary style of their professions. Costume designer Karen
Patch, who dressed the cast in "The Royal Tenenbaums,"
joined Lynda Obst and Kate Hudson in Paris to research and shop,
shop, shop.
"We
practically devoured thrift stores that had all kinds of fabulous
designer clothing," remembers Patch. "Kate has an amazing
sense of style and a perfect body for most clothes. She looks great
in the new sleek, urban look and the dress she wears at the diamond
gala is designed around the 87-carat yellow diamond pendant that
was created especially for her by Harry Winston."
According
to Patch, the other principal cast members weren't exactly dressed
like slouches either. "Bebe Neuwirth wears Chanel and a regal
diamond tiara, and Matthew McConaughey's tuxedo, made especially
for him by Brioni, is valued at $6,000."
Production
designer Thérèse DePrez, who also designed "Hedwig
and the Angry Inch," found her greatest challenge in creating
the set of Composure Magazine. Prior to becoming a production designer,
DePrez worked in advertising as well as for a magazine, so she paid
a visit to old friends at Elle and Interview to get ideas.
"The
Composure set is the biggest one of the entire film, but luckily
I know the magazine environment very well," says DePrez. "I
chose neutral shades of white, beige and cream as background so
the layering of ads and wardrobe could provide most of the color.
This technique brings the scenes alive and suggests a busy, creative
space, perfect for such a creative film."
HARRY
WINSTON DIAMONDS AND HOLLYWOOD
Long
before Marilyn Monroe whispered "talk to me Harry Winston,
tell me all about it" in the classic number "Diamonds
Are a Girl's Best Friend," the House of Harry Winston was bedecking
diamonds and dazzling Hollywood. From the days when a young Katherine
Hepburn wore the fabled 15th century Inquisition necklace to years
of diamond-studded Academy Award presenters, winners and nominees,
Harry Winston has been bejeweling stars the likes of Nicole Kidman,
Halle Berry, Gwyneth Patrow, Jodie Foster, Madonna, Sophia Loren,
Elizabeth Taylor and many more.
Now,
Kate Hudson follows in the tradition of Hollywood's leading ladies
(including her mother, Goldie Hawn) by donning three Harry Winston
creations in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days": a diamond
wreath necklace, with an 80-carat yellow diamond pendant (called
the "Isadora") attached, valued at approximately $5,280,000,
and a pair of 5-carat radiant cut yellow diamond stud earrings,
with an approximate value of $125,000. In fact, Hudson's jewelry
alone weighs in at a value of approximately $5.5 million, over a
third of the estimated $14,200,000 worth of jewels lent to the film.
The
House of Harry Winston, is the embodiment of three generations of
Winston jewelers dating back to more than a century ago in 1932.
Founded by the son of a jeweler, the late Harry Winston, known as
the legendary "King of Diamonds," the company is now run
by his son, Ronald Winston, President and CEO.
Beyond
donning the stars at the Oscars and Golden Globe Awards, Harry Winston
has also re-created many unique pieces of moviedom nostalgia, including
a $3,000,000 pair of genuine ruby slippers to commemorate the 50th
Anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" and a bejeweled Maltese
Falcon.
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