John Cusack's one condition for starring in rom-com 'Say Anything'

John Cusack revealed his one condition for starring in the 1989 rom-com 'Say Anything' was rewriting the script with director Cameron Crowe. He wanted to make the dialogue more authentic and add darker nuances to his character, Lloyd Dobler.

Cusack's One Condition: A Script Rewrite

Actor John Cusack revealed that he had one condition before agreeing to star in the iconic 1989 romantic comedy 'Say Anything'. The 59-year-old shared his reflections during the recent screening of the film at New York City's Kings Theatre, reported People.

Cusack said he agreed to play protagonist Lloyd Dobler only if director Cameron Crowe allowed him to make changes to the script. "People don't talk like that," Cusack recalled thinking after reading the original script. He explained that much of the dialogue reflected the perspective of a "45 to 50-year-old professional writer" rather than authentic young people. Cusack recalled telling Crowe, 68, that he would only take on the role "if I can rewrite the part with you." And while he expected Crowe and the rest of the creative team to immediately shut him down, they simply answered with, "Yes, okay," as reported by the outlet.

Adding Nuance to Lloyd Dobler

Cusack wanted Lloyd to retain a sense of optimism while acknowledging the character's darker sides, making his choices intentionally heroic. To Cusack, this nuanced optimism defined Lloyd and set the tone for his performance. As for what he wanted to change about Lloyd's character? Cusack explained that "the character was more optimistic, but didn't have any darker sides to it." So, he wanted to make it clear that Lloyd was "choosing to be optimistic," noting that it made him "sort of heroic," as quoted by People.

"It's like a John Lennon and Paul McCartney song," Cusack said. "Paul McCartney writes, 'You gotta admit it's getting better. It's getting better all the time.' And then John Lennon says, 'It can't get no worse.' So that was the thing with that character."

The Pivotal Role of Music

Music also played a pivotal role in shaping the film. Cusack noted that he and Crowe bonded over soundtracks, with Cusack selecting songs for scenes to maintain their intended mood.

On Revisiting Past Roles

While Cusack continues to rely on music to inhabit his roles, he indicated he is not interested in revisiting his past characters. "I was lucky that I never had the desire, or no one asked me to do any sequels," he quipped, adding that a sequel to 1408 might be an exception due to today's film landscape, according to People.

'Say Anything' remains a beloved romantic comedy, with Cusack's portrayal of Lloyd Dobler standing out as a defining moment in his career. (ANI)

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