The 85th Academy Awards ceremony was held on February 24, 2013 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. It was a night for movies like Lincoln, Life of Pi, Les Misérables, Argo and Django Unchained — among others — which had received the most nominations. Also on that list was the romantic comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook by David O. Russell.
On that occasion, the film was nominated for a total of eight awards, including the Big Five: “Best Picture,” “Best Director,” “Best Actor,” “Best Actress” and “Best Screenplay.” Only Life of Pi and Lincoln had accrued more nominations on the night, with 11 and 12 respectively. It was a significant achievement for Russell and his team, although only main star Jennifer Lawrence managed to walk away triumphant, as she was recognized as “Best Actress.”
The achievement was a career-defining moment for Lawrence, as it was her first and (as of February 2023), still her only Academy Award ever. The actress was not the only big name in the movie, however. The production assembled a star-studded cast that also included the likes of Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Anupam Kher, Chris Tucker and Bradley Cooper.
Cooper starred in a main role alongside Lawrence, but they were never the first choice for those two leading characters.
What Characters Did Jennifer Lawrence And Bradley Cooper Play In Silver Linings Playbook?
The plot for the film Silver Linings Playbook centered around two characters: Pat Solitano Jr. and Tiffany Maxwell, who form an unlikely bond while struggling to overcome their personal issues. These were the two roles played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence respectively.
Pat is a former high school teacher who has just been released from a mental health institution after an eight-month stay. He suffers from bipolar disorder and is trying to put his life back together after losing his job, his wife, and his home. He moves back in with his parents, Pat Sr. and Dolores, who are played by Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver, respectively.
Tiffany, on the other hand, is a young woman with her own set of issues. She has recently lost her husband and is struggling with grief and depression. She also has a reputation for being promiscuous and is known for her brash and blunt personality. Tiffany’s relationship with Pat begins as a business transaction, but as the story unfolds, it deepens and they begin to rely on each other for emotional support.
Mark Wahlberg And Anne Hathaway Were The Original Casting Choices For The Main Roles In Silver Linings Playbook
Before eventually landing on Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as the actors to play Pat Solitano Jr. and Tiffany Maxwell in Silver Linings Playbook, director David O. Russell had other people in mind. For starters, he thought about casting Vince Vaughn and New Girl star Zooey Deschanel. That never materialized, and he switched his attention to Mark Wahlberg and Anne Hathaway.
Wahlberg and Russell had worked together for the first time in the late ‘90s, when the actor starred in the director’s war film Three Kings. The film followed the story of four American soldiers — Archie Gates (George Clooney), Chief Elgin (Ice Cube), Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze) and Troy Barlow (Wahlberg) — who set out to steal Kuwaiti gold during the Gulf War.
The actor-director pair would also later collaborate on the movies I Heart Huckabees in 2004 and The Fighter in 2010. Silver Linings Playbook would have been the first time Russell got to work with Hathaway.
Mark Wahlberg Demanded A Clause Compensating Him If Anne Hathaway Left The Project
In October 2011, a report on Business Insider suggested that actor Mark Wahlberg had demanded a clause in his contract for Silver Linings Playbook. The clause reportedly stipulated that the production would compensate him to the tune of $900,000 if Anne Hathaway left the project.
While the news sparked controversy and debate in the entertainment industry, Wahlberg was apparently looking out for the interests of the film, which he at the time expected to be a part of. In the decade-or-so preceding the production of Silver Linings Playbook, Hathaway had, after all, established herself as one of the most high value actresses in Hollywood.
She had previously starred in Valentine’s Day (2010), which raked in a massive $217 million at the box office. She had also made a splash with Get Smart (2008, $231 million) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006, $327 million). Her excellent performance in the 2010 period adventure fantasy film Alice in Wonderland had also helped the movie breach the $1 billion mark in box office returns. It is this apparent guarantee that Wahlberg is said to have wanted to protect for Silver Linings Playbook.
As fate would have it, though, Russell decided to go with Bradley Cooper instead. According to the Business Insider report, this was simply a financial decision, but one that seemingly ended the long-running collaboration between Wahlberg and Russell.
Hathaway also dropped out of the production, following scheduling conflicts with The Dark Knight Rises.
