Photo credit: Courtesy of HBO
Behind the Candelabra airs tonight on HBO at 9 PM – a must see!
HBO presents BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, starring Academy Award® winners Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, executive produced by Emmy® winner Jerry Weintraub and directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh from a script by Oscar® nominee Richard LaGravenese.
“Before Elvis, before Elton John, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Liberace: virtuoso pianist, outrageous entertainer and flamboyant star of stage and television. A name synonymous with showmanship, extravagance and candelabras, he was a world-renowned performer with a flair that endeared him to his audiences and created a loyal fan base spanning his 40-year career. Liberace lived lavishly and embraced a lifestyle of excess both on and off stage.
In summer 1977, handsome young stranger Scott Thorson walked into his dressing room and, despite their age difference and seemingly different worlds, the two embarked on a secretive five-year love affair. BEHIND THE CANDELABRA takes a behind-the-scenes look at their tempestuous relationship – from their first meeting backstage at the Las Vegas Hilton to their bitter and public break-up.” Production Notes
Interview with Michael Douglas:
HBO: What interested you about this project?
MICHAEL DOUGLAS: Well, my fascination has to do with, first of all, the script, which was simply one of the best screenplays I had seen in a long time. So you read a really good script, and they’re asking you to play Liberace, which you don’t get a chance to do every day. And then, oh, by the way, Steven Soderbergh, is going to be directing it. Jerry Weintraub is producing it, and your co-star and lover is Matt Damon. So, where do I sign up?
But for me, this is a full circle, because it’s twelve years ago that I’m making the movie Traffic, with Steven Soderbergh directing. And in the middle of shooting, Steven says to me, have you ever thought about playing Liberace? And I look at him and think: is he messing with me? I’m supposed to be the drug czar in Traffic, and I said: well, it hasn’t ever crossed my mind. So that’s how long ago Steven had been thinking about the project. But it really is a combination of a great script, and being fortunate enough to have such a strong team around you. Interview continued here.
Interview with Matt Damon:
HBO: You can pick and choose the projects you work on – what interested you about this one?
MATT DAMON: Steven had told me about it in 2007. And so I knew I was going to do it, because I’ve done seven movies with him, and I basically just work with him whenever I get a chance. And then the script came, and it’s really one of the best scripts I’ve ever read. Richard (LaGravenese) did such a beautiful job. I’d read Scott Thorson’s book, and Richard just seemed to nail a really interesting dynamic. And I think for Michael and I – that was a way in. We’re both married. We’ve both been in relationships awhile, so we could relate. But Richard wrote such a human script that it was really easy for me to just connect to the character, and the relationship.
And another reason I wanted to do the movie was I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play opposite Michael Douglas. I didn’t want to miss having a front row seat to Michael playing Liberace. Read more here.
Official Trailer:
