Catherine Hardwicke Praises Heath Ledger, Talks ‘Twilight’ at Mediterrane Film Festival Masterclass

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On Wednesday morning at Malta’s historic Fort Ricasoli, steps away from sets reminiscent of the “Gladiator” series, esteemed filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke offered a grandmaster class spanning over two hours, perfectly in line with its impressive surroundings, during the Mediterranea Film Festival.

Hardwicke, who is currently part of the island festival’s jury, discussed a wide range of filmmaking techniques during the “Fix It in Prep” session, which was led by The Hollywood Reporter. She reminisced about some of her past projects such as the raw drama “Thirteen”, the skateboarding movie “Lords of Dogtown”, the popular teenage vampire film “Twilight”, the heartwarming tearjerker “Miss You Already”, the supernatural series “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” and others.

The folklore surrounding the movie “Twilight” was a significant topic in the conversation, with many points detailed in commemorative interviews and earlier iterations of Hardwicke’s talk. For instance, it was mentioned that Robert Pattinson personally chose his line “Hang on tight, spider monkey.” Additionally, Kristen Stewart’s fellow franchise star shared an unusual clothing choice for a kissing scene with Bella and Edward – she declined a set of shirts presented to her for the occasion.

Hardwicke recounted, “We had ten distinct T-shirts for her, but she didn’t care for any of them. During filming, she said, ‘I like your T-shirt.’ So, I handed it over to her, and in return, I got a different one. That’s the T-shirt she wore in the movie – the one I had initially.” Furthermore, Bella began the film wearing earthy tones, but as her character developed a closer relationship with Edward and the Cullen family, by the end of Twilight, she was dressing more like them, sporting a blue jacket and colors more fitting for vampires.

Hardwicke, who is known for launching a successful franchise from the best-selling book series, also shared her journey on how she came to direct the initial film in the series. “They presented me with the script and asked if I was interested in directing any of these,” she said, mentioning that it was under development at Summit Entertainment at the time. “At the point, every studio in Los Angeles rejected Twilight, as it was being returned due to lack of interest. However, it was filled with passionate fans who loved the book. I found the script disappointing, but after reading the book, I realized there was a strong fanbase. So, I requested a meeting.

Upon joining a gathering with the creative team at Summit, I boldly expressed my thoughts on the content, “I picked up the script and declared, ‘This needs to be discarded, but let’s bring it closer to the source material and what truly matters in the book. Here are some suggestions.’ They responded, ‘Alright, we agree with you. We’ll bring you on board.’

From there on, the story unfolds as history tells us. On a related note, Hardwicke reminisced about her past experience, when she starred alongside Heath Ledger, Emile Hirsch, and Victor Raskuk in the 2005 film Lords of Dogtown. This movie portrayed the beginnings of skateboarding culture in Venice, California during the 1970s.

David Fincher initially planned to direct the movie, and he aimed to produce it with a budget of $75 million. However, due to disagreements regarding budget and creative aspects with executives at Columbia Pictures where the project was being developed, Fincher eventually parted ways with them, as reported by Hardwicke. With the critical acclaim she had just received for Thirteen, Hardwicke thought she might be able to find a more innovative or cost-effective approach to make a film about her beloved sport.

In that scenario, Amy Pascal was in charge at the studio, and she shared a passion for skateboarding, having been raised in L.A. This was mentioned about the well-known Hollywood executive-turned-producer who I met with. Upon entering our first meeting, I was sporting a Dogtown t-shirt, residing in Venice as I did, and exuding an air of Dogtown style that was unmistakable. I had a detailed plan for filming the movie and even brought skateboards along. Amy had already watched Thirteen and appreciated it. I proposed a cost-effective approach to making it, and somehow, I managed to secure the job.

Hardwicke frequently emphasized throughout her presentation that, as a director, she prefers to be immersed directly in the action with the actors, instead of being stationed in the video village away from them. An illustrative incident she recounted was when, during the filming of one surfing scene for Lords of Dogtown, star Ledger grumbled about the water being too chilly.

For six hours in the morning, we had been laboring throughout the day. After lunch, Heath and the older men arrived, and I overheard him remark, ‘This is too much, man, I can’t handle this cold.’ At that instant, I approached him from the water without his knowledge. I said, ‘Hey, Heath, what’s going on buddy? I’ve been here all morning, isn’t it great?’ To which he replied, if someone else is here, then he doesn’t have a reason to complain. Let’s film. As a director, there are times when you need to take bolder actions, asking your actors to push their limits. You can’t demand something if you’re not willing to do it yourself. That’s my belief.

As a dedicated fan, I recounted a captivating moment from the movie where Hardwicke showcased Ledger’s portrayal of Skip Englbom, a character inspired by a real individual. In this scene, Ledger was meticulously crafting a surfboard while serenading Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May.” I couldn’t help but admire his genuine authenticity, as it seemed he was determined to incorporate that particular track, despite its substantial cost.

As a devoted admirer, I’ve noticed that Heath is incredibly dedicated to his physical performance. Each film showcases a unique body language and vocal nuance from him. The filmmaker shared this insight, explaining how Heath passionately requested the song “Maggie May,” which was beyond our budget due to their high demands. On the day, we had prepared two alternative songs, one of which we had the rights for and could afford. However, in a surprising turn of events, he declared his dislike for the chosen song and demanded “Maggie May.” I had already recorded a take of the other song as a precaution for not getting fired from my first studio movie. So, we reluctantly went ahead with “Maggie May,” and as you can see, it perfectly complements the scene. He moves in sync with it, and after securing the rights, it became an integral part of the film.

Towards the conclusion of her talk, Hardwicke gave a sneak peek at her upcoming indie movie titled Street Smart. This drama revolving around homelessness stars Isabelle Furhman, Yara Shahidi, Michael Cimino, Daniel Zovatto, and Skeet Ulrich. Before she departed for Malta, Hardwicke mentioned that she had completed the film’s music score. The movie, set in Venice, tells a story about a group of homeless individuals pursuing their dreams while navigating the city streets. Interestingly, scenes for the film were shot at Hardwicke’s Venice home, which served as both the production office and a filming location during the swift 20-day shoot.

The characters are modeled after real individuals, and one of these real people actually appeared in the film. This was his debut acting role, and he had previously been part of the foster care system. Just a week before filming began, we were able to secure housing for him through Covenant House, an incredible organization that supports kids who have aged out of the foster care system. He moved into his first apartment and made his acting debut in our movie.

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2025-06-26 14:55