Director Shawn Levy, who helmed the box office hits “Just Married” and “Big Fat Liar,” seized the opportunity to bring audiences a film that mixes a modern comic sensibility with old-fashioned sentiment rooted in traditional family values. “The idea of making a love letter to the zaniness of large families was really appealing to me,” says Levy. “CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN is about family, loyalty and priorities.”
According to Levy, having Steve Martin take on the role of patriarch Tom Baker took the film to a new level. “When you have Steve Martin, you get layers of character and comedy that go well beyond the scripted page,” he says. “Steve brings Tom Baker to life through his physical and verbal humor. His work starts where the words end.”
“Getting Steve was dream casting,” adds producer Robert Simonds. “He gets to be both funny and emotional in CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, as he has in some of his classic film performances.” Martin, hailed for his work in edgy films like “Roxanne” and “The Spanish Prisoner,” as well as for broad-audience comedy hits like “Parenthood,” “Father of the Bride” and “Bringing Down the House,” appreciated CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN’s fresh perspective. “The script had a new-fangled approach to family that we don’t see much in films today,” he says.
With Martin cast, the filmmakers turned to filling the role of super-mother and wife Kate, whose chemistry with her husband had to be strong enough to produce 12 children. They found their Kate in actor/comedian Bonnie Hunt.
Levy sensed that Martin and Hunt would play well off of one another. “One of the things I’m most proud of with this film is the casting,” says Levy. “Once we got Steve and put him opposite Bonnie, we knew their chemistry would serve as a focal point for the film.”
Beyond their on-screen chemistry, Martin and Hunt provided a lesson in how different styles can combine to make magic. “Steve is always prepared and knows exactly the performance he wants to give,” says Simonds. “Bonnie has a much more fast-and-loose style. It was interesting to watch their dynamic, and obviously we’re thrilled with the results.”
Growing up in a family of seven children, Hunt appreciated CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN’s take on large families. She saw the role of Kate as an opportunity to pay tribute to mothers everywhere.
“I made it a point to play Kate as an intelligent woman,” says Hunt. “It was very important to me that she not be just ‘The Mom,’ because like so many mothers, Kate is complex and three-dimensional. She is very much in love with her husband and she’s convinced that they can take on the world. But Kate also has a lot going on in her heart and in her mind that her husband and children may not be aware of. But it’s always there underneath.”
“It’s been a joy to play Kate and to delve into what makes her tick: love, patience and a huge sense of humor.”
Hunt’s comedic skills added depth to the character and raised the level of comedy on set. “If you’re an actor in a scene with Bonnie Hunt, you’ve got to be on your toes,” says Levy. “Steve Martin and the rest of the cast learned that with Bonnie, you don’t know what you’re going to get from take to take. But we were always certain that she was going to push the right buttons and push the envelope, and you either flow with it or you’re done.”
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