UPDATE: Richard E. Grant, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Can You Ever Forgive Me? has added more context to the parameters of Julianne Moore's firing from the same film.
Moore was originally cast to appear as Lee Israel, a character based on a real woman, but ended up being fired from the role for "creative differences," she said in a recent interview. Now, Grant says that she was fired for requesting to wear a fat suit and a prosthetic nose to portray the character.
The role would later go on to be filled by Melissa McCarthy, who would be nominated at nearly every award show for her dark and emotional portrayal of Israel.
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Initial reports said that Moore and the the film's screenwriter Nicole Holofcener disputed over the addition nose, which Holofcener reportedly found too distracting. But with the full story revealed, it makes sense that Moore was cut. The idea of donning a fat suit to portray a character, especially one based on a real person, is definitely not the move.
This article was originally posted March 9, 2019.
Even Academy Award-winning actors get fired sometimes, as was the case for Julianne Moore.
While promoting her new film Gloria Bell on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Moore revealed that she had been pink-slipped from Can You Ever Forgive Me? At the time the film’s screenwriter, Nicole Holofcener, was also the director.
“I think [Nicole] didn’t like what I was doing,” Moore told Cohen. “I think that her idea of where the character was was different than where my idea of where the character was, and so she fired me.”
Marielle Heller later took the reigns as the film’s director. The lead role in the film, based on the true story of author turned literary forger Lee Israel, eventually went to Melissa McCarthy. McCarthy nabbed a Best Actress Oscar nomination for the part.
When asked if she has seen the movie, Moore explained that she hadn’t yet, “because it’s still kind of painful.” She did, however, praise McCarthy’s acting chops.
“I love Melissa McCarthy, I worship her,” Moore said. “I think she’s fantastic. So I’m sure she’s great.”