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PRODUCTION NOTES - Continued

CASTING FOR GENIUS...

"A Beautiful Mind" brings together a unique ensemble of actors - major stars, distinguished veterans, exciting newcomers - who create intense chemistry. "There’s an element of danger with a number of these actors - especially Russell Crowe, Ed Harris and Christopher Plummer," said Howard. "They project an unpredictability and volatility that might surprise people in a movie perceived as human interest or intellectual. There’s always a palpable, visceral tension with them onscreen, the threat of some kind of explosion."

Grazer and Howard cast the Academy Award®-winning Crowe in the role of John Nash well before the actor's immense success with "Gladiator." "I zeroed in on Russell because he can communicate so intensely without words," explained Grazer, who had been especially taken with Crowe in "L.A. Confidential" and "The Insider." "And that's what you need to do with John Nash."

Howard was also a fan. "We're telling the story of someone who was viewed as an Adonis in his field," said the director. "Russell's physicality and charisma were a real asset, as were his intellect, his mental toughness and his soulfulness. It's a rare blend - and so important for the story of Nash. Brian and I both really wanted the movie to have some edge and not be a sentimentalized look at this man’s life. Russell wanted that, too."

Crowe was drawn to the project for a number of reasons. He had an immediate and strong reaction to the screenplay. "There are a couple of cinematic tricks built into the script which are very special," he said. "Akiva Goldsman did an incredibly smart job of identifying the salient points of John Nash’s story that would make for a compelling feature film."

Crowe also appreciated the opportunity to put a human face on schizophrenia. "To simply illustrate that a schizophrenic is the same as anybody who has any kind of sickness was important," he said. "Their lives are still 'normal,' in that they still fall in love, have babies, want to achieve things."

The project also marked a personal achievement for Crowe, who had long wanted to work with Howard and Grazer. "Ron's pedigree as a filmmaker is impeccable," Crowe said. "He and Brian work really well together and their body of work as a production team is very impressive."

Grazer and Howard's productions include the 1997 film "Inventing the Abbotts," which starred Jennifer Connelly in a performance that both partners admired. Since then, Connelly has distinguished herself in such films as "Requiem for a Dream" and "Pollock."

Howard quickly knew that he wanted Connelly in this film. "Jennifer has really emerged in the last few years. She’s very intelligent, a great beauty and has a lot of integrity. And she’s developing this extraordinary screen presence," he said. "She had a clear understanding of what made this movie so compelling and involving."

She also had strong chemistry with Crowe. "We had many actresses read with Russell," Grazer said. "When you do those private readings, you can immediately sense if there is chemistry. You want to know if the actress can challenge him in a way that will keep him at the top of his game. Jennifer more than held her own."

The filmmakers cast Ed Harris as William Parcher, Nash's boss at the Department of Defense. Their previous collaboration with Harris in "Apollo 13" had led to an Academy Award® nomination for the actor. Howard felt that Harris embodied a mysterious quality that was essential for this film. "William Parcher is a government agent who recruits John Nash into a kind of secret world, and it ends up being more complicated and dangerous than Nash had ever expected," said Howard. "Ed Harris is a little elusive; you can't always be sure what his agenda might be. He’s also a really powerful actor who can go toe to toe with Russell."

As for toe to toe, the night before principal photography on "A Beautiful Mind" began, Crowe and Harris were at the Academy Awards® ceremony. Both had been nominated in the Best Actor category, Crowe for "Gladiator" and Harris for "Pollock," a film he also directed. "It was possibly not the best way to start a relationship," joked Crowe, who won the award. "But Ed is an absolute gentleman."

Crowe and Harris weren’t the only company members who attended the Oscars® on the eve of production. Cinematographer Roger Deakins had been nominated for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and costume designer Rita Ryack was a nominee for "Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas."

Back to Page 1 of "A Beautiful Mind" Production Notes