Conversational Piece on I, Tonya: Insights from Screenwriter/Producer Steven Rogers and Director Craig Gillespie
In the world of sports, few stories have been as sensational as the one surrounding American figure skater Tonya Harding. This is the tale that director Craig Gillespie, known for his sharp, offbeat comedy and ability to inspire honest performances, brings to life in the film "I, Tonya".
Gillespie, who has worked on projects such as Million Dollar Arm, The Finest Hours, and the Showtime series, The United States of Tara, was initially drawn to the film by the unique combination of Tonya Harding and Margot Robbie, as well as the unconventional structure and balance of emotion and humor.
The filmmakers aimed to humanize Tonya Harding, challenging the media portrayal of her as a villain. Gillespie's perspective on Tonya Harding changed after researching her life and her journey to the Olympics amidst personal chaos.
The production of "I, Tonya" faced challenges in balancing the true story with the film, especially due to the wildly different accounts of the events by Tonya Harding and Jeff Gillooly, who is portrayed by Sebastian Stan in the movie. Stan's audition was deemed pitch-perfect by the director.
Margot Robbie and Allison Janney were already attached to the film when Craig Gillespie came on board, and Paul Walter Hauser was cast as Shawn Eckhart. Finding an actor to portray Jeff Gillooly was challenging due to the need to balance the volatile relationship between Tonya and Jeff with humor and sympathy.
The film's title, "I, TONYA", was chosen by Steven Rogers, who wrote the script for the film and is also a producer. Rogers, whose previous credits include "Hope Floats", "Stepmom", "Kate and Leopold", "P.S. I Love You" and "Love the Coopers", was attracted to the film's unique balance of emotion and humor.
The skating sequences in the film required a combination of Margot Robbie's training and visual effects due to the difficulty of finding a doubles skater to perform the triple axel, a feat only six women have ever successfully achieved in history. Unfortunately, the current Olympic competitors were not available for the film due to the risk of injury.
Tonya Harding embraced the film "I, Tonya" and was moved to tears, appreciating the close attention to detail in the skating routines and the actors' performances. The director, Craig Gillespie, had worked on a Campbell's soup commercial with Nancy Kerrigan three months before the Tonya Harding incident.
The script for "I, Tonya" was a priority for Gillespie, as he wanted to capture the defiance and courage of Tonya Harding through moving camera, hard cuts, and music. The film is a darkly comedic tale that delves into one of the most sensational scandals in sports history, offering a unique perspective on a controversial figure. Tonya Harding, for her part, has expressed her appreciation for the film's portrayal of her life.
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