Promising Young Woman has been ringing Oscar bells - and fans can’t stop talking about this raw, funny, and totally entertaining revenge thriller. With big stars like Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham, lovers of this flick are also diving deep into all the things that made this movie was it is.
For all the movie nerds out there who can’t get enough of this film, it’s time to dig a little bit deeper into what happened behind the scenes, before this movie hit the screen in all its glory and popularity.
The Dinner Scene Was Mostly Improvised
Jennifer Coolidge and Clancy Brown play Cassie’s parents, and fans definitely enjoyed laughing at one of the few totally light-hearted scenes - where Cassie brings Ryan home for dinner.
The director (Emerald Fennell) asked them to improvise their conversation. From the weird occupation of Coolidge’s character to the witty banter, it was just as hilarious for the cast to make this scene as it was for fans to watch it.
Carey Mulligan Insisted On Filming The Death Scene
There are more scenes with body doubles than most people probably realize. When Al Monroe (Chris Lowell) suffocates Cassie with a pillow, there was an easy opportunity to slide in a double.
However, Carey Mulligan insisted that she film it herself, and Lowell and Mulligan had a lot of training from stuntmen to do that. After the death scene, Mulligan also stayed on set to watch the rest play out.
Bo Burnham Was A Natural In The Pharmacy
Again, Fennell asked for some natural fun and improvisation. Comedian and actor Bo Burnham had no issue dancing and singing in the aisles, but Mulligan was a bit more hesitant.
Eventually, they got a totally cringy but hilarious take, but it took some prodding to get Mulligan to let loose. Naturally, Burnham had no cares in the world.
Mulligan Was Obsessed With Her Nails
It’s really hard to watch this movie and not notice the multi-colored, pastel nails that Cassie has throughout the entire film. Her bold nail colors, hair, and outfits make her an entirely different character.
Mulligan was the first to say that she loved the manicure she got while filming, and was totally head over heels for the colors.
Emerald Fennell Was Pregnant While Filming
The director was seven months pregnant when she was filming the movie, and she gave birth to her son only three weeks after the movie wrapped. The schedule was definitely pressing!
Fennell also says that being pregnant helped her make the movie what it is. Now, Fennell is already nominated for two Golden Globes - and her baby is there to celebrate with her.
Fennell Purposely Cast ‘Nice Guys’ For The Roles
Max Greenfield, Adam Brody, and Chris Lowell are television superstars, and typically, fans find it easy to fall in love with them and root for their characters.
Fennell cast them all with a very big purpose: she didn’t want people to expect them to be ‘bad’. It was shocking and allowed for the root of this revenge thriller to hit harder.
Mulligan Was Also Cast To Shock The Audience
There’s a lot of talk about how Margot Robbie is the producer of this flick, and that the fierce Harley Quinn actress wasn’t cast for the role of Cassie. Apparently, she and Fennell completely agreed that she would never be.
Mulligan was cast because she’s a sophisticated and prestigious actress, and it made it all the more surprising for her to come out of her shell as Cassie.
Fennell Wrote The Script While Listening To Pop Anthems
The soundtrack of this movie is definitely one of the best things about it, and it’s full of feminist beats that people can’t help but feel empowered by while they dance and sing along.
Apparently, Fennell listened to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton on repeat while she wrote and finalized the script. It isn’t hard to believe, because it sure entertains in that way.
Mulligan Was Sent The Script - And Almost Immediately Accepted
These two female superstars have worked together before, and Fennell says that she always envisioned Carey Mulligan playing the role. Mulligan’s agent was simply sent the script.
After reading it, Mulligan apparently jumped the gun and told Fennell she really, really wanted the part. Obviously, it all worked out - and both the script and the acting were absolutely brilliant.
Mulligan Kept The Nurse Costume
Throughout the film, there are a ton of pretty bright and stunning outfits, especially when it comes to Carey Mulligan’s wardrobe for Cassie. However, the nurse outfit was her favorite, apparently, because she thought it was just too funny.
She requested to keep it, and out of all the outfits she could have taken home, fans just love her even more for dedicating her attention to the nurse costume.