Silver Linings Playbook is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed movies in Hollywood. Actors Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence played the lead in the 2013 Oscar-nominated movie. It was nominated for eight awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. David O. Russell’s romantic comedy-drama lead actress, Jennifer Lawrence walked away with triumph as she received the Academy Award for Best Actress. As per reports, Mark Wahlberg and Anne Hathaway were the first choices of the director to lead the movie.
The movie Silver Linings Playbook turned out to be a masterpiece, with the perfect pairing of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.
Mark Wahlberg’s clause for Anne Hathaway doomed his Oscar win
The roles of Pat Solitano Jr. and Tiffany Maxwell in Silver Linings Playbook were initially made with Vince Vaughn and New Girl star Zooey Deschanel as leads. However, that never materialized, so the director, David O. Russell, decided to get Mark Wahlberg and Anne Hathaway as the lead pair. Wahlberg and Russell shared a good bond as they had worked together on other projects including Three Kings, and I Heart Huckabees in 2004, and The Fighter in 2010. It would have been their fourth project together.
According to a report by Business Insider in 2011, Mark Wahlberg had demanded a clause in his contract for Silver Linings Playbook. The clause reportedly stated that the production would compensate him a huge amount of $900,000 if Anne Hathaway left the project.
The news sparked massive controversy and debate, but Wahlberg definitely had his film’s well-being in mind. Finally, the director decided to give the lead to Bradley Cooper instead.
As per the Business Insider report, it was a financial decision, but that seemingly ended the long-time collaboration between Wahlberg and Russell. Hathaway also dropped out of the movie due to scheduling conflicts with The Dark Knight Rises.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence’s Silver Linings Playbook
The plot of the 2012 movie revolved around Pat Solitano Jr. and Tiffany Maxwell, who form an unlikely bond as they struggle to overcome their personal issues. Pat Solitano Jr. was shown as a man with bipolar disorder and freshly released from a mental institution, and Tiffany Maxwell was seen struggling with grief and depression after the demise of her husband. Tiffany’s relationship with Pat starts as a business transaction, but as a turn of circumstance, their bond deepens, and they start to rely on each other for emotional support.
The movie assembled a star-studded cast that included the likes of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, along with Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Anupam Kher, and Chris Tucker. Silver Linings Playbook emerged as a commercial success at the box office as it grossed over $236 million worldwide and was also the recipient of several accolades.
Source- The Things
