“Jennifer was very helpful to me, especially during the extremely physical comedy,” continues Fonda. “She’s terrific. We worked very well together, although I did get a little jealous when (director) Robert Luketic put her picture on his computer’s screen saver!”
The producers were thrilled not only with Fonda’s chemistry with Lopez, but also to have such a legendary actress take on the role.
“Viola is someone a lot of people are familiar with and she’s someone a lot of people can identify with,” says producer JC Spink. “We knew we wanted an icon to play this character, and Jane Fonda is one of the greatest actresses of our time. Her presence could match the size of the character, but she’s someone you’d never expect to see in this role because even though we see her in the news, we haven’t seen her in movies for a while. Also, Jane has never played the villain per se, but she fit the bill better than anyone else.”
Screenwriter Anya Kochoff agreed, noting that Fonda “brought her instincts and her vast experience to the project. Viola is like an old friend of Jane’s.”
For her part, Fonda says she couldn’t fully explain what motivated her to return to the big screen.
“I can’t explain it, but I was ready and some vibe must have drifted into the atmosphere because people started calling my agent,” she says. “I am a different person than I was 15 years ago and I was curious to see how that would read on screen and whether that would affect my work. Up until now, I hadn’t really wanted to go back to work. I hadn’t even thought about it.”
Shortly after both leading ladies signed on, the production team found its director in Robert Luketic. A true collaborative spirit, Luketic proved to be the glue that kept everyone together on the same page.
“Robert just seems to have fun in all his movies and you can see it on the screen,” says Spink. “Even though this is a movie about a battling mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, there’s so much fun to it because the comedy moves from being broad to smaller, intricate moments. We wanted someone who really liked comedy, and Robert is great because he is particularly talented in that arena. He makes it look effortless. I don’t think he realizes how many other directors struggle with comedy because it comes so naturally for him.”
In addition to his grasp of comedy, Luketic brought a sense of teamwork to the project that proved vital on set. “Robert’s greatest gift is his collaborative nature,” says producer Chris Bender. “He led the charge, but there was never a moment when he tried to control the process or dissuaded anyone from expressing an opinion or new idea. He is very respectful of everyone’s role and everyone’s viewpoint; he listened to everyone’s notes and incorporated those ideas into the film, which is why working on this movie was so special.”
One would expect a hint of trepidation or anxiety from a young director embarking on only his third film with a cast that featured two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, but Luketic exhibited neither. Rather, he was excited, and from their first meeting the three worked in unison throughout the production.
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