‘Oh Canada’ Director Paul Schrader Talks Casting Jacob Elordi and Richard Gere for Younger vs. Older Versions of Same Character

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As a cinephile with a penchant for introspective storytelling, I am absolutely captivated by Paul Schrader’s latest masterpiece, “Oh Canada.” The reunion of Schrader and Richard Gere, 44 years after their iconic collaboration in “American Gigolo,” is nothing short of magical. The narrative, revolving around a dying draft dodger and documentarian, resonates deeply with me, as it delves into themes that are universally human: mortality, memory, and truth.

In a swift decision, director Paul Schrader chose to reteam with Richard Gere, a collaboration that dates back 44 years to their work on “American Gigolo“, for his newest film. This upcoming movie tells the story of a man, a dying draft dodger and documentary maker, who seeks to rectify his life’s narrative in one last interview before it’s too late.

In his most recent film, set to debut in North America at the Toronto Film Festival, Michael Douglas takes on the role of Leonard Fife – an American evading the Vietnam War by settling in Montreal, where he eventually gained acclaim as a renowned documentary filmmaker.

Currently battling terminal cancer, Fife takes strength from his weakened state to share his life’s poignant memories, both triumphs and flaws, directly into a film camera. Speaking about the movie adaptation of Russell Bank’s 2021 novel “Foregone”, Schrader commented to The Hollywood Reporter that the role is exceptionally powerful, stating, “There are plenty of actors who could deliver a stunning performance in this part.

I mused that if Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, and Tommy Lee Jones have all portrayed such roles, then having Richard Gere do it could add to the excitement and box office success of the movie, since he hasn’t played an older character before.

However, while Gere consistently drew crowds at the box office, Schrader chose Jacob Elordi to portray a younger Fife, who was primarily recognized as Nate Jacobs on “Euphoria” and had not yet gained prominence in his role as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” biopic.

When we were looking for someone to play a younger version of Gere’s character, casting agents suggested Elordi at a very low price,” Schrader recalled later on. “I didn’t need his name; just Richard was sufficient. But when I saw him on Zoom, if this had happened 40 years ago, I would have cast him for ‘American Gigolo’. That’s how much he reminded me of what Gere brought to Schrader’s 1980 crime thriller with his on-screen charm,” the director commented about Elordi.

Oh Canada, presents a character pondering over his lifelong impact, as it grapples with profound topics such as mortality, recollections, and veracity. This depth is partly due to Schrader deciding to adapt Banks’ novel Foregone at a time when the acclaimed American author was battling terminal cancer himself.

Last summer, I was usually visiting Russell, but I heard he fell ill. He contacted me and shared that he wouldn’t be able to meet up this year. It wasn’t long before I understood that this situation was quite severe,” is a possible paraphrase of the original quote.

Previously, banks produced a movie titled “Foregone“, which showed a filmmaker who was terminally ill revealing secrets from his past to his wife and the world, while he was still healthy. Interestingly, Schrader commented that Banks himself passed away in a manner similar to how he had researched for this role.

He communicated with his writer buddy through emails when it came to refining the script for “Oh Canada,” as it was being developed. Unfortunately, Banks passed away in January 2023, at the age of 82, approximately two weeks before Schrader wrapped up his screenplay.

A movie reflecting on life’s experiences and revealing all truths resonated with Schrader personally following his own health issues during the pandemic, which required him to spend a total of three hospitalizations in one year due to bronchial ammonia complications. “As I lay there in the hospital trying to breathe, I thought, perhaps this is how it ends. Perhaps COVID will claim my life,” he reminisced. (Paraphrased)

Schrader managed to live on, yet he had to grapple with the reality of his own mortality. In his own words, “When you’re lying there, wondering if this is the end, you start pondering about what I want to achieve creatively or in life. It’s like a conversation with God, telling him, ‘I might be dying, but I have a fresh idea. Can we postpone it for a year?’

In the television series “Oh Canada“, Fife’s final interview before passing away is led by two camera operators who were once his students, portrayed by Michael Imperioli and Caroline Dhavernas. Throughout this emotional process, Fife’s significantly younger wife, Emma (played by Uma Thurman), is consistently present. As the ailing and occasionally confrontational filmmaker recalls his life via flashbacks, primarily involving Elordi, these memories are shared.

Schrader recalled one email from a dying Banks where, apparently feeling better one day, he told the director, “If I ever write again, I will never write another book about an artist dying of cancer who seeks redemption.”

The “Oh Canada” director stated, “He transformed into that role.” Schrader’s film is scheduled to screen at Roy Thomson Hall this coming Friday, with two more showings in Toronto on both Saturday and Sunday.

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2024-09-13 04:54