As Oscar® winner Faye Dunaway moves on from the controversy surrounding the 2017 Best Picture mix-up, all eyes are on her next starring role, in director, actor and producer Jonathan Baker’s upcoming feature film INCONCEIVABLE. |
Dunaway says, “I’m looking ahead—and want my fans to look ahead—to focus on my upcoming work. I’m especially proud that my next theatrical role following the incident is my starring role in INCONCEIVABLE opposite my great co-stars Nic Cage, Gina Gershon, and Nicky Whelan. I’m especially proud to have done this film with first-time feature director Jonathan Baker, who’s also acting in it!” She says she found Baker “interested, and innovative, and looking to do something new.” Dunaway adds, “I find him very impressive; he’s doing interesting work. He’s a strong personality, and I think that’s a good thing. That shows you how good they are—they’re convinced of their own views, beliefs and desire to get things right. He’s talented, no doubt about it. He’s going to succeed.” |
Baker discusses working with Faye: “I love the film stars of the 60’s and 70’s and Faye Dunaway is one of them. THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, CHINATOWN and NETWORK feature performances I particularly admired when I was growing up, so when I was looking to cast [his next feature project] ICON, Faye was at the top of my list. And, when it came time to casting INCONCEIVABLE, I said there is no one else to play Nic Cage’s mother. This was way before the Oscar incident; I went to the studio and said ‘who better?’ and as they threw out names I said ‘no’ time and time again. Once cast, I spent over a year working with Faye. We spoke on the phone and worked on the part every few quarters until we both liked the role. Funny thing is, when I was with my mentor Warren Beatty I would talk about Faye and when I was with Faye I would talk about Warren. It was interesting because they were so iconic and both are in my upcoming documentary BECOMING ICONIC. Both hold Oscars and both gave ME the best advice. |
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“A few days before starting to film INCONCEIVABLE, I got a call telling me that Faye broke her foot. They told me she would not be able to stand, and would I think about recasting. I thought about the year and how far we’d come and told the studio I would rewrite her part. Everyone told me could not do it in time. I said, ‘Give me twelve hours’ and I would cover everyone, and so I set out to rewrite her entire role that we had worked on for a year in the twelve hours. I do not to this day think she ever knew, but when she got to set, I arranged for each scene she was in to be sitting and we blocked the scenes around her in such a way that one would have never known she was hurt. She was in so much pain each day, but as the true professional she was, she showed up , she worked hard and we shot her part.” He continues, “Beatty told me, ‘I am amazed how fast Jonathan worked to re-write Faye’s part; this is what makes him unique as a writer/producer/director.’” Dunaway also appears in a biographical documentary nearing completion on Baker by director Nick Thibedeau, called BECOMING ICONIC. That film chronicles Baker’s life as a writer, actor, reality star and business owner, culminating in his feature directing debut on INCONCEIVABLE. A number of other directors from Adrian Lyne and Taylor Hackford to Jodie Foster provide both a master class on directing as well as encouragement and advice for Baker on his journey. |
As if Faye’s foot incident wasn’t enough, ANOTHER of the INCONCEIVABLE stars has had trouble with their lower extremity. Lead actor Nicolas Cage broke his ankle in Bulgaria last week filming, sidelining the actor for several weeks. Cage, Oscar®-nominated for ADAPTATION and winner for LEAVING LAS VEGAS, says “Jonathan is very enthusiastic, he’s very excited about the material, he cares, so much, [and] he’s a very sincere filmmaker. He’s not afraid to speak his mind, stand his ground and get what he needs, and that’s rare. He wants this to be a movie in the grand tradition of cinema. I think we’re going to see a lot of Jonathan.” Cage concludes, “Because Jonathan is a fighter, he has a unique style as a director who can produce. And he’s fast: I saw Jonathan shoot fourteen pages in one day. He loves his work and with him everything is in the detail. This is very rare in today’s film market—Jonathan’s a new breed of director. Most people just follow; he’s a true leader.” Lionsgate Premiere is releasing INCONCEIVABLE June 30. |
