Director Matthew Lopez dealt with a difficult situation while filming Red White & Royal Blue when actor Taylor Zahar expressed skepticism about filming an intimate scene due to his natural body hair. Lopez approached the situation with caution, bringing in her makeup artist to witness the conversation and reassuring Zahar that her natural body is beautiful and suitable for the scene. The episode highlights Lopez’s ability to handle delicate situations and showcases his intelligence and wit beyond his skills as a playwright and director.
Matthew Lopez recently opened up about a difficult moment that happened to Taylor Zahar while filming Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue. Based on the New York Times bestselling book by Casey McQuiston, the romantic comedy tells a touching, strange love story between Prince Henry (Taylor Zahar) and Alex (Nicholas Golitsyn), the son of the President of the United States.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the hit rom-com, director Matthew Lopez recalled an awkward interaction with Red, White & Royal Blue star Zahar when the latter was skeptical about filming an intimate scene due to his natural body hair. The director recalls asking his makeup artist to be present as a witness to the exchange, adding that “I didn’t want my career to end.” Here are his full comments:
“I go into Taylor’s trailer — we’ve been shooting this movie for about five or six weeks at the moment — and Karen looks at Taylor and she’s like, ‘Okay, tell him what you told me,’ and he’s like, ‘I don’t know. “I don’t know if I should shave or not,” Lopez explained. “So I say to him, ‘Face?’ and he replies, “No, dear.” And I’m like, “OK, what do you want to do with it?” And he: “Look, okay?” So, my makeup artist was the escort there because I didn’t want my career to end before it started and Taylor, like, pulls down your pants and says, “Look at my ass,” and I’m like, “Okay, You look great! The body itself, as it is, is a beautiful thing. I told Taylor, yes, bring your hairy ass to the set.”
Even before his directorial debut with Red, White & Royal Blue, Matthew Lopez was already considered one of the most talented playwrights and screenwriters of his generation. He made a name for himself in 2006 when his play The Man for the Whip was shown off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theater Club. The play received widespread acclaim from critics and the public, especially for its emotional power, and later won the John Gassner Award for Novelties. Play.
Following the success of The Whip Man, Lopez wrote other successful pieces, including Somewhere in 2011, Reverb, and The Legend of Georgia McBride. In 2018, his play The Legacy was performed at the Young Vic Theater in London to critical acclaim. It has received countless awards from various renowned organizations and is currently the most awarded play in recent years.
Zahara’s request during the filming of “Red, White and Royal Blue” put Lopez in a precarious position. His career was on the rise, especially since he was making his first feature film. Lopez was wise enough to tread carefully, showing that his wit and intelligence go beyond writing and directing.
Source: electronic warfare