[THE MAIN EVENT]
With Opus, first-time director Mark Anthony Green dreamt up a mind-blowing take on celebrity culture told through a whimsical pop star and a hard-nosed journalist. Bookmark these tidbits for trivia night
(1) John Malkovich was on director Mark Anthony Green’s shortlist to play Alfred Moretti. He also wanted to cast Nikki Giovanni; Green doggedly pursued the iconic poet before discovering she was unavailable due to failing health.
(2) Invincible, Michael Jackson’s 2001 album primarily produced by Rodney Jerkins, influenced Moretti’s storyline. “Michael Jackson is a contemporary of Moretti [in the film],” says Green. “So I wanted to use that [Invincible] album—Michael Jackson going into a studio—and [replicate] that same challenge. Moretti made the best music of a certain era, and now he has to make something that feels like him, but it can’t sound like it’s from the '90s.”
(3) Green sent advance screeners of the FX comedy-drama series The Bear to Opus’ production company A24 because he knew he had found his lead actress in that hit show's star, Ayo Edebiri. The studio concurred.
(4) Edebiri’s character, Ariel, works for a magazine. She, along with her boss, are invited to an exclusive listening retreat to hear Moretti’s new album. This is not a case of art imitating life, though. Green worked at fashion bible GQ for 13 years as a columnist and editor but says his journalism career didn’t necessarily inform the film.
(5) While The-Dream was working with Malkovich and Nile Rodgers on the film’s three records, the singer/songwriter was also crafting records for the planet’s biggest music entity, Beyoncé.
(6) Malkovich committed to his role wholeheartedly. When a snowstorm threatened to delay shooting by a full day, the legendary actor shoveled his way out of a driveway and made it to the New Mexico set to shoot in frigid conditions because he knew the crew had a tight filming timeline of only 19 days. “He understood that this was an ambitious small film and he acted like he was 22 [years old] making his first role,” said Green.
______
Watch the trailer for Opus and catch the film in theaters TODAY.
The UpRising newsletter is a mixtape for your mind filled with information that's intellectual and irreverent—no skips. Whether it's film, music, art, food or the culture full stop, UpRising will serve as the starting point to your deep dives.