One of the reasons why I love watching old movies is for sociological reasons, and to really analyze what people found interesting and beautiful decades ago. When you see Grace Kelly or Ingrid Bergman or Rita Hayworth in an old movie, you can go “yes, of course everyone found them beautiful, because they would be considered beautiful at any point in history.” For me, Kim Novak has always been more “of her era.” Lana Turner as well – maybe that’s a controversial opinion, but I stand by it! While they’re attractive women, they both felt more particular to their era. Well, Kim Novak is still around – she’s 93 – and they’re making a movie about her iconic and controversial love affair with Sammy Davis Jr. In an odd move, Sydney Sweeney has been cast as Kim Novak. In truth, Sydney cast herself – she is the one who put this project together and she wants to play Novak. Well, Kim Novak does not approve.
Kim Novak is voicing her concerns about Scandalous! In a recent interview with The Times of London, Novak slammed Sydney Sweeney‘s casting as her in the upcoming film, following the Vertigo actress’ relationship with Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1950s. Colman Domingo is set to direct, marking his directorial debut. David Jonsson will portray Davis.
“I would never have approved,” Novak said of Sweeney portraying her, adding that the Euphoria actress “sticks out so much above the waist.”
The publication noted that Novak’s criticism stems from her concern that the film will focus on the sexual side of their relationship rather than the fact that they had “so much in common.”
“There’s no way it wouldn’t be a sexual relationship because Sydney Sweeney looks sexy all the time,” Novak continued. “She was totally wrong to play me.”
Reps for Sweeney did not respond to The Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment at the time of publication.
Last year, Sweeney spoke with THR’s executive editor of awards, Scott Feinberg, on his Awards Chatter podcast about bringing Domingo on board. The pair previously co-starred on Euphoria, and Sweeney also serves as a producer on Scandalous!
“When I was putting the package together, we were circling different directors. There was one previously attached and I just felt like the story really needed to have a different voice,” she said. “The entire time I was like the only person who would really be able to tell this story and to the degree that it needs to be beautifully told is Colman Domingo.”
The Anyone but You star continued, “So I called him up and I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you even want to direct, but there’s a script that I’d really love to send you. And if you like it, it’s yours. If not, I won’t be offended,’” she said. “He read it within like a few hours and he called me back and he was like, ‘This is exactly what I’ve been telling my team I want to find.’ We’ve been putting it together and raising financing — it’s been a labor of love.”
What’s a little bit funny to me is that I think Sweeney is “of her era” as well, just in a completely different way than Kim Novak. But they look nothing alike, and Kim has every right to feel however she wants about this. Her relationship with Sammy Davis Jr. was complicated by politics, race, the studio system, their careers and everything else. I’m not sure Sydney has the talent to pull off such a complicated story, in general, and I think Novak is justifiably concerned that this film will go heavy on the sexual relationship and not all of the other factors. But I guess there’s nothing Kim Novak can really do about it? And when you really consider her words, she’s actually not even going that hard after Sydney.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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