Don't Look Up director Adam McKay reveals that his daughter and her friend wrote Ariana Grande's best line from the film. Netflix's Don't Look Up, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers attempting to warn the planet about a comet heading to Earth that will end all human life. The film has set new Netflix streaming records but has received polarizing reviews from audiences and critics. Alongside DiCaprio and Lawrence, whose role as astronomer Kate Dibiasky marks her first film appearance since 2019's Red Sparrow, Don't Look Up also features a star-studded supporting cast, including Meryl Streep, Mark Rylance, Cate Blanchett, and Grande, amongst others.
Grande, one of the world's best-selling music artists, appears in McKay's satire as pop star Riley Bina, which can be viewed as a heightened version of her own persona; Bina's break-up and make-up with on-screen boyfriend Kid Cudi's DJ Chello potentially mirrors Grande's - and other pop stars' - public relationships. Grande and Kid Cudi wrote and released "Just Look Up" for the film, which is performed during the movie. During the performance scene, Grande's costume caused issues on set, as the white feathered dress proved a potential fire hazard.
Speaking with Insider, McKay reveals that neither he nor any of his award-winning cast came up with one of the film's best zingers. McKay originally had written for Bina to call DiCaprio's Dr. Mindy a "boomer f**k" in a scene where the characters wait backstage before their appearances on a TV show. McKay's daughter, however, offered her own suggestion. Read the full quote below:
Yeah, but it's funny where that came from. I originally had a different line there. It was "mind your own business, you boomer fuck." And my daughter, Pearl, and her friend, Ava, were both like, "No one says boomer anymore." They were like, "You can't have her say that." So I was like, "Well, what would she say to him?" And they were both like, "She would just call him an old fuck." [Laughs] So because of their note, I changed the line. I give them all the credit.
McKay, known for improvisational comedies such as Anchorman, Step Brothers and The Other Guys, has brought his free-flowing style with him in his move to dramatic films. Though Don't Look Up hasn't hit the critical heights of some of McKay's other films, many of its best scenes come from improvisation. Pearl and Ava, closer in age to the 28-year-old Grande than 53-year-old McKay, would naturally have a better grasp on how young people talk and what would sound inauthentic. Additionally, this isn't the first time that Pearl has contributed to one of her father's projects, as she played the role of 'Pearl the Landlord' in McKay and Will Ferrell's enduring Funny or Die sketch.
Grande also provided some updates to McKay's script, as the director revealed that the pop star improvised lyrics for the film's song "Just Look Up." For a pop star making the jump to movies, improvising lyrics that make it into the final cut can be viewed as an impressive start - particularly when the film includes improvisation from acting legends such as Streep and DiCaprio. Whether the singer will expand her acting repertoire in future films remains to be seen. But for a film brimming with improv and contributions by an award-winning cast, that McKay's daughter and friend provided Grande's best line in the movie might be one of the most surprising insights.
Source: Insider