In Context: The Contentious Making of "Frida"
Friday, December 15, 2017 at 8:00AM by Ilich Mejía
;)
The New York Times published an op-ed by Salma Hayek where she discloses how working with Harvey Weinstein, then head of Miramax, affected the production of her passion project Frida. The film, centered around the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, was released in 2002 with Hayek portraying the titular character. In the article, Hayek relates her refusals to Weinstein's inappropriate proposals (massages, showers, sex) to his explicit sabotaging of the film and its release. Up next, we contextualize five of Hayek's most poignant tellings of how Weinstein's ruthless power machine compromised the making of a promising film.
“[Weinstein] also demanded a signed deal for me to do several other films with Miramax, which I thought would cement my status as a leading lady.” Before Frida, Hayek acted in four Miramax films: Roadracers (a made-for-television movie for Showtime), From Dusk Till Dawn (co-starring Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney), 54 (about the infamous discoteque), and The Faculty (her last before Frida). After Frida’s release, she appeared in two films under the Miramax-owned distribution company Dimension Films: Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. Both were released in 2003, nearly one year after Frida. Robert Rodríguez directed every one of these six films except 54. In her op-ed, Hayek cites her friendship with Tarantino, Clooney, and Rodríguez as a likely shield that kept Weinstein from escalating his sexual assaults against her.
“Once before, Julie Taymor got him to settle for a tango ending in a kiss instead of the lovemaking scene he wanted us to shoot between the character Tina Modotti, played by Ashley Judd, and Frida.” Ashley Judd, who heroically began an earth quaking movement by calling out Harvey Weinstein for sexual harassment while she filmed 1997’s Kiss The Girls, agreed to do Frida as a favor to Hayek. This means Judd agreed to work for her harasser to support her friend as she went through an equally horrifying experience.
“When he was finally convinced that I was not going to earn the movie the way he had expected, he told me he had offered my role and my script with my years of research to another actress.” Before Hayek was attached to star and produce, Madonna and Jennifer López had both expressed interest in starring in a film about the Mexican painter's life. Both were met with criticism because of their respective American and Puerto Rican descent. López persevered and was briefly attached to star in a Frida-centric film entitled The Two Fridas directed by Luis Valdéz, replacing Italian American Laura San Giacomo of Just Shoot Me! fame. After facing casting difficulties and the threat of competition, Two Fridas halted production.
“Much to everyone’s amazement, not least my own, I delivered, thanks to a phalanx of angels who came to my rescue, including Edward Norton, who beautifully rewrote the script several times and appallingly never got credit.” Frida credits its script to five writers: Hayden Herrera (writer of the book the script is based on, Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo), Clancy Sigal, Diane Lake, Gregory Nava, and Anna Thomas. Despite his efforts, Norton, who dated Hayek for five years and had a small role in the film, was only credited with a “very special thanks”. Disturbingly, Harvey and Bob Weinstein were awarded the same credit.
“…this film that Harvey never wanted to do, gave him a box office success that no one could have predicted, and despite his lack of support, added six Academy Award nominations to his collection, including best actress.” After an October release in 2002, Frida was nominated for six Academy Awards in 2003: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Costume Design, Best Set Decoration, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, and Best Makeup. The last two won their respective categories. That same season, in addition to Frida, Miramax campaigned for Gangs of New York, Chicago, City of God, and The Hours. Following Chicago (Miramax’s best performer—made about seven times its $45 million budget), Frida performed the best in comparison to its budget out of these films, making close to five times its original budget in the box office. Similarly, only Chicago took home more Oscars than Frida. The film had the smallest budget out of any Miramax in contention that year. The Hours, the next smallest, had a budget greater than twice Frida’s.
A flock of celebrities, including Reese Witherspoon and Antonio Banderas, have celebrated Hayek's courage in sharing her story. Weinstein has since commented on Hayek’s piece. For obvious reasons, we won’t be acknowledging the content of his statement.
Reader Comments (22)
I doubt it will ever happen, but considering the enormous movement she helped spearhead in Hollywood and indeed across the country, I think Ashley Judd should get the Jean Hersholt next year.
Not really connected but she was HORRIBLE in Frida.
Isn't it funny (sad) that Judd spent so many years in the acting wilderness as "that crazy woman" when in fact she was obviously speaking the truth.
I've always loved Hayek in interviews and this piece is so eloquent, so heartbreaking and so sincere that it has made me love her even more.
I was never a fan of Frida (or Hayek in it) though have always intended to rewatch (it's been 15 years after all).
Kokolo - Actually that would be very much related because of the effects minority stress and being sexually harassed has on performers so that they can’t give 100% to their acting.
I disagree she was horrible in Frida. I rank it her best performance in her career up to that point, easily. The movie is broad and garish and she serves it well. Plus the subject's art itelf was very outlandish and in-your-face, so I believe Hayek does Frida justice.
I do agree, wholeheartedly, with the suggestion above of awarding Ashley Judd the Jean Hearsholt.
very brave article by hayek. i haven't seen the film in years, but i recall being very impressed by the acting, directing, design, and the ambition of the film. it is inspiring to believe that a film that was so rejected and purposefully by its producers could win two oscars and receive six nominations, and i believe that speaks to the strength of those like hayek and taymor (and presumably many other people as well).
all individuals that come forth to speak their truth should be recognized. @John T - if the academy had any chutzpah they'd make such a move for judd. or perhaps they could do some larger tribute a la time's people of the year. i think it's very important for an institution of power like ampas to acknowledge the abuses and unfair practices in this industry. i don't respect them much as an industry (cough casey cough) but i think an action like that would be from left field and commendable.
// love and hugs to TFE family and readers //
It suddenly makes so much sense seeing Ashley Judd's rage at the Women's March last year. She needs her due!
John T -- that is an amazing idea. I always love Judd in movies. She was so great in Smoke and Bug and though i never saw Ruby in Paradise i always heard great things.
Frida deserved the Song (Burn it Blue) and Costumes Oscars as well. And agree with some, Hayek's best performance until this year's Beatriz.
On the one hand, I want to sympathize with Hayek and commend her for coming forward. On the other hand, she sat at that Sundance women filmmakers roundtable in January and alternately tried to silence and discount Jessica Williams's intersectional experience as a black woman in the industry by basically telling her to work hard, stop playing a victim, and simply be the best she can be as a means of having these magical opportunities bestowed unto you. Oh, the irony. Oh, the hypocrisy.
Troy H - I haven't seen/read that round-table so am not qualified to comment...
BUT
Is it not possible that Hayek both understands the difficulties faced as a minority actress in Hollywood (what with being one and all) yet also acknowledges that in order to leave a legacy as an actress/producer, it has been necessary for her to try and "fight the system from within"?
At what point does an "actress" become an "activist" as her primary occupation?
Would someone hoping to leave a mark as an artistic creative be content with a legacy of helping to effect social change through politics? It seems that younger stars are better able to balance both. Older stars didn't tend to have that option when they were the same age in the 90s and 00s...
I'm not offering answers, obviously, just trying to imagine that there must have been a quandary faced there by all ascending actresses in Hollywood in the 90s and 00s...
Go, Salma. It's heartbreaking what that monster put her through. Nothing in her resume prepared me for her work in Beatriz at Dinner. So profound. And if she had done nothing but be the producer and catalyst for bringing the lovely Ugly Betty to TV, she would be my hero forever.
Good piece here poor Judd her reputation ruined by Harvey for what?
kermit_the_frog, my problem is that she made it seem like Williams's success or failure, or that of any woman in the industry, rests almost exclusively on her own shoulders, not taking into account the systemic issues facing women in this country, specifically women of color -- issues she faced firsthand in her dealings with Harvey Weinstein. To be as dismissive of Williams to the extent that she was demonstrated either deficiency of self-awareness, willful ignorance, or blatant gaslighting -- and to what end? Because what happened between her and Weinstein still happened and still affected her greatly and now informs much of who she is as a person and artist. I would have expected more compassion from her.
Very sad for both actresses.
Very sad for both actresses.
Harvey Weinstein should be given a public hanging for the things he did and to try and to do that to Salma. He better not step foot in Mexico because they would kill that pendejo.
Wouldn't it be great if Ashley Judd presented Best Actress at this year's Oscars?
Troy H. - you're right. Hayek did a bad thing one time. She is therefore imperfect and should forever be categorically banished from left-wing goodwill, with all of her statements and work wiped from collective memory. We should judge everything she ever says and does from now on in the context of that one event. It's the only way to help bring about progress.
[sign]
Meantime, while I sympathise and agree with what Williams was trying to say in that discussion, Hayek's words obviously read to me as those of a person who's spent decades unfairly victimised by a system and who has therefore had to build a defensive shield of armor that almost denies her victimisation to herself. Her words (almost lashing out at Williams) felt like they were a coping mechanism, and in this kind of frame of mind, even acknowledging another woman of colour's similar victimisation becomes confronting.
I'm projecting a little bit, obviously, but that's how her words came across to me in that conversation. And I totally felt for her. Even as I totally felt awful for Williams, who was of course making very urgent points.
On a related note, I love the far-left nitpicking over who gets to be intersectional and who doesn't these days. Like seriously, a Lebanese-Mexican woman working in Hollywood with an accent? She said something uncomfortable. By all means let's silence her. What insight could she possibly have into intersectionality.
@Michael R
Fantastic idea!!
goran, I really hate when people put words in my mouth in order to counter a point I never made in the first place, so in the future don't. If we want better films, then we need a better industry, and if we want a better industry, then we need to hold accountable the people therein when they say or do problematic things -- no matter how much good intention may seem to motivate them. My assertion is that the same compassion folks feel for Hayek today is the same compassion she should have shown for Williams at that roundtable, particularly considering what she endured at the hands of Weinstein as a woman of color herself. It's one thing to give a person advice based on the knowledge gained during your journey; it's another to use what you've learned to discount the other person's experience altogether.
Hayek essentially told Williams that thinking of herself as black or a woman or a black woman is a detriment more than benefit when it's simply just a reality from which Williams cannot be divorced. I don't know how it is for other people of color, but we black folks cannot "get away" from being black in this country merely because we will it. Hayek is Hayek and Williams is Williams, and despite both being women of color, they still have experiences unique to each of them. Moreover, yes, some women of color because of their approximation to whiteness or access to certain resources will have an easier time than others, which doesn't mean that they won't struggle, but does inform the prism through which they view the business as such. For Hayek to have acknowledged that wouldn't have mititgated a single thing she's already been through.
Before the NY Times piece appeared, Penélope Cruz -Salma's best friend- released a statement saying she didn't know anything about all these harassment claims against Harvey. Now she has released another statement in solidarity with Salma.
Go with the flow Pe!