ON SET

Behind the Scenes of Jean-Marc Vallée’s “Demolition”

by Fan Zhong

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An exclusive first look at director Jean-Marc Vallée’s drama Demolition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts, in theaters April 8th.

1

“In this scene, he’s walking forward while everyone else moves backwards, like he’s waking up from a dream. It’s part of the film’s metaphor.”

2

“In the original script, you don’t see Davis’s wife, who is played here by Heather Lind, ever. And I said, “Sorry, but I’m going to add scenes and flashbacks with her. He’s going to be haunted by her.”

3

“This is one of the movie’s funniest scenes, in which Davis’s stepfather, played by Chris Cooper, lectures him. Davis’s voiceover is the best.”

4

“Jake with Naomi, who plays his new love interest Karen. We shot everything in available light, which I’ve been doing since 2011’s Cafe de Flore.”

5

“Chris played his character very personally, and you can see it.”

6

“That’s me, with Jake. I always go back to the script. We shoot the rehearsals, and sometimes the rehearsal take is the one.”

7

“I’m not at all handy. I’m like Jake’s character Davis: the only tools I own were given to me.”

8

“We spent a whole day on the Metro North shooting the train scenes. But we also built a part of it on a stage, because we shot the film chronologically. At some point Jake’s character stops shaving, tweezing, and getting haircuts.”

9

“I probably said something stupid to Naomi here. Sometimes I try to show the actors how to do something—like answer the phone—and I make a fool of myself.”