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When Universal Pictures' comedy Bruce Almighty arrived at the summer box office on Memorial Day weekend in 2003, it blew audiences and box-office records away. Director/Producer TOM SHADYAC had crafted yet another film that spoke to moviegoers' desires to suspend disbelief and spend time following extraordinarily funny people who were put in outlandish circumstances.
In the '90s, the talented filmmaker had made a household name out of Bruce Almighty's star, comedian Jim Carrey, with such comedy classics as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Liar Liar. Shadyac had also, along with comic actor Eddie Murphy, reintroduced a new generation to a lovable, unlucky college teacher known as Sherman Klump, a.k.a. The Nutty Professor.
Bruce Almighty would prove just as much a comic springboard for another man. The film was an explosive hit, earning almost one-half billion dollars in revenue at the global box office. In addition to the praise Carrey received, the world was quite enchanted by a polished, preening newscaster by the name of Evan Baxter. The chief rival of Jim Carrey's title character, Evan and his omnipresent smugness were rewarded with an interesting affliction by the all-powerful Bruce--the ability to speak only in a torrent of babble while Evan was on the air.
And so was launched the film career of actor STEVE CARELL (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, television's The Office). The comedian had previously found success on sitcoms and as a regular correspondent on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. Carell's scene-stealing performance led to parts in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and as the lead of NBC's hit comedy The Office. But it was the Second City alum's decision to portray a shy, romantically curious electronics store employee named Andy Stitzer in 2005's The 40-Year-Old Virgin that would officially put Carell on the star map.
Four years after his Buffalo reporter had audiences doubling over, Carell returns to the role, playing the next one anointed by God to accomplish a complicated and hilarious mission in Shadyac's latest comedy.
Four years after the release of Bruce Almighty, Tom Shadyac remained intrigued by the spiritual. Though having declined offers to sequels before, he very much wanted to return to familiar territory with this next installment in the Almighty series. "We always thought it would be fun to make different chapters in a God series rather than just make a straight sequel to Bruce Almighty," remarks the director. "It always felt more fruitful, creatively, to spin off different characters."
With Evan Almighty, the director delivers the uproarious laughs he provided in films from Patch Adams to The Nutty Professor--comedies interwoven with morality tales, done in Shadyac's inimitable way. Whereas Bruce Almighty debated the question of where true power comes from, this episode of divine intervention delves into what can be forsaken in the pursuit of happiness, and the humor that lies in that conundrum.
The search for an actor with the comic versatility to step into the lead role proved a bit easier than any of the filmmakers expected. A 40-year-old virgin who just so happened to be an alum of Bruce Almighty answered their prayers.
Steve Carell's small but standout performance as Bruce Nolan's nemesis, the preening, über-confident newscaster who is reduced to a babbling on-air mess, was the perfect segue for the next chapter. Carell's success on Virgin and his popular, Golden Globe-winning performance as manager Michael Scott on NBC's television series The Office had recently further showcased his comedic talents. The filmmakers were impressed and excited about the possibilities.
Recalls Shadyac, "Steve did such an amazing job in Bruce Almighty; everybody remembers his scenes. He delivered some of the funniest stuff in the movie. We thought, 'Why not take that character and spin him off into a different film?' We already had the basic idea where God would come to someone and say, 'Build an ark.'"
Story-wise, the filmmakers envisioned their lead character as a polished professional brimming with ambition and self-importance, yet imbued with a genuine desire to make a difference in the world. It was a premise that Shadyac and the producers realized could fit seamlessly with the character of Evan Baxter from Bruce.
"For this film, we've taken the American dream to its nth degree, which has nightmarish consequences," Shadyac comments. "Evan desires the biggest house, biggest car, biggest job--the biggest everything--but he doesn't understand the cost of all that. He ultimately discovers that everything he does has a cost."
Producer Michael Bostick notes, "There was something about the characters that Steve created that we thought would be great fun for God to come into Evan's life. And it just so happened that not only did it work for story purposes, but it was a blessing that Steve's star was on the rise as we were developing this movie."
For Carell, the opportunity to reprise the arrogantly funny Evan Baxter was one he couldn't overlook. The actor was interested in expanding his role because of the direction in which Evan, a character with relatively little screen time in the last film, could go.
He explains: "I think this story is more of Evan's journey to find out who he really is, as opposed to who he's been posturing to be. His campaign promises were about changing the world, but they're empty. And along the way, he finds that a platitude is one thing, but an actual effort and a self-awareness is something that is only gained through pain, suffering or introspection."
With the title character cast, it was time to check in with the Academy Award®-winning actor who could be the only one to bring God back to the big screen: Morgan Freeman.
In 2002, when the filmmakers initially reviewed their casting options for the role of God, Shadyac maintained that Morgan Freeman was the only actor he could see in the role. Securing his return as The Almighty was paramount to the creators when considering any type of sequel. In their minds, there was no one else to don the whites and anoint a new messenger with a crucial and hilarious message. The director and producers agreed that Freeman--complete with his elegant dignity and infamously wicked sense of humor--was the only option.
Producer Bostick succinctly states: "There's only one God, and there's only one Morgan. He absolutely has that awesome, commanding presence."
For Freeman, coming back to his role had everything to do with working with the director. "Tom so enjoys what he does, and people who enjoy their work primarily do things well. He is one of those people that I have an easy rapport with."
The acclaimed actor is the first to admit that his niche is not always comedy. "Me, I'm not a comedian. Write it down, and I'll say it," he says with a chuckle. His philosophy is simple: "Learn the lines and be as honest as you can. If the material is funny and the timing is right, it will be funny."
Working with the legend would prove a bit intimidating to the cast and crew, but Freeman instantly put them at ease, and proved to be quite the joker on set. Recalls Carell, "Morgan just wanted to be accepted like everyone else, and not with any sort of greater reverence. There's such a calm to him and a confidence without arrogance."
Armed with the triple threat of Carell, Freeman and another script written by Steve Oedekerk--a frequent collaborator of Shadyac's on such comedy classics as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Liar Liar--Shadyac and the producers were on track to recreate the magic that made Bruce Almighty a worldwide box-office hit. Now, they just needed an arkload of animals.
GOD'S FUNNIEST MAMMALS: SUPPORTING CAST OF THE COMEDY
The filmmakers set out to bring together a well-rounded ensemble of equally funny standout performers to complement their principal human and animal cast. Actress Lauren Graham, known for her role on the popular television series Gilmore Girls, joined the cast as Evan's patient wife on the ark, Joan (yes, pun intended). The filmmakers were thrilled when the performer, whom Shadyac considers "one of the most gifted comediennes on television today," agreed to be the better half of the Baxter couple.
Graham was interested in taking on the part, despite the hectic schedule of her shoot with her CW series. "I thought Joan shouldn't be a traditional kind of congressman's wife," she notes. "This is all new to them. The Baxters are just moving, leaving their lives to go follow Evan as he pursues this new career. I wanted her to be softer, not stereotypical."
Graham, who played opposite Carell for the majority of her scenes in the shoot, enjoyed watching the funnyman work his magic. "I'm the straight man to Steve's imagination, and that's been fun. He's smart and spontaneous, which keeps you engaged and on your game."
Known for his ability to elicit unforgettable comic performances from his cast, Shadyac encouraged his actors, particularly Carell, John Michael Higgins, Wanda Sykes and Jonah Hill--all who have strong improvisational backgrounds--to attempt new approaches to the material.
John Michael Higgins, cast as Marty, Evan's harried congressional chief of staff, looked forward to working with a story that crossed several genres--biblical epic, family comedy and special effects extravaganza. "Evan Almighty is a wonderful mix of genres, but with any good comedy, you need a good story," the actor notes. "The biblical telling of Noah's story is a fantastic one. It's got everything you want--it's human, it's epic and it has a moral. We're only using a tiny piece of it and have obviously contemporized it. But it retains the heart of it all."
Though optimistic about the project, native Virginian Wanda Sykes was not thrilled about the upcoming weather battle. The actor knew that summers in her home state would be hot and humid. No matter how much she cared for the character of Rita, Evan's no-nonsense assistant, she needed further convincing.
Sykes met with the director and was immediately taken by his enthusiasm for the project. "He's just a cool dude," she says. "You can just see it in his eyes, that crazy passion for what he does. He was so excited about the film. I walked out of the meeting thinking 'Yeah! Let's get on the ark; this is going to be fun.'"
The process and the end result were just that. Adding Sykes to the mix of gifted actors provided a backdrop ripe for good comedy. Shadyac comments, "I love these moments of creativity and spontaneity. I've watched Wanda get into her head for a second, and then come back with this gem."
Another Shadyac alumnus, Jonah Hill, worked with the filmmaker on the last film Shadyac produced, the comedy Accepted. Hill had stolen scenes in both that and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and he reunited with Carell for Evan, this time as the eager-to-please intern Eugene. Like the rest of the cast, Hill was overwhelmed when he saw the ark, noting, "It's the biggest thing I've ever seen, complete with elephants and giraffes and so many animals. I've never seen anything that massive before. It's crazy big."
The addition of Academy Award®-nominated actor John Goodman to the cast as veteran Congressman Long added a layer to the story that further illustrates Evan's comic downward spiral. For Goodman, keeping his stoic demeanor in place during filming was a lesson in self-control. "It's hard to keep from laughing all the time; Steve's so damn funny," recalls the seasoned character actor. "It has been a lot of fun to see him in action."
Filling some of the smaller roles with comedic powerhouses like MOLLY SHANNON (Year of the Dog, Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby) as hyper realtor Eve Adams and up-and-comers such as ED HELMS (The Daily Show, The Office), the filmmakers knew that all the players--no matter how little their dialogue--had to be humorous to make Evan Almighty work well. Creating a family-friendly movie was extremely important, and young actors Johnny Simmons, Jimmy Bennett and Graham Phillips were cast as Evan and Joan's three very different sons who help Evan out with the building specs.
With cast and crew in place, the production could begin the simple task of building an ark to biblical specifications--all the while making sure that they created a ship that left all who saw it awestruck, seamlessly integrated thousands of CG animals into the zoo already on set and left no ecological footprint over the course of production. Easy.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
TOM SHADYAC (Directed by/Produced by) has established himself as one of Hollywood's most successful directors. Evan Almighty is the follow-up to his 2003 blockbuster comedy Bruce Almighty, starring Jim Carrey. He is currently producing I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James, and last summer produced the comedy Accepted, starring Justin Long, Jonah Hill and Lewis Black.
Shadyac began his directing career in 1994 with the breakout hit Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, starring Carrey. He then segued into the smash hit The Nutty Professor, starring Eddie Murphy. In 1997, he reteamed with Carrey for the box-office sensation Liar Liar. Shadyac also directed Robin Williams in the Golden Globe-nominated Patch Adams and directed Kevin Costner in the sci-fi thriller Dragonfly.
Shadyac's multifaceted career includes producing through his Shady Acres Entertainment banner, based at Universal Pictures. In addition to directing and producing feature films, Shadyac found success in the world of primetime television, producing the comedy series 8 Simple Rules…for Dating My Teenage Daughter for Touchstone/ABC.
Shadyac attended UCLA film school, working toward his master's degree. At age 23, he became the youngest staff joke writer for Bob Hope.
STEVE OEDEKERK (Screenplay by/Story by) has quickly established a multi-faceted career that includes producing, directing, writing, acting, stand-up comedy and animation. He has written and directed films that have grossed over $1 billion in worldwide box-office revenue.
Most recently, he wrote, produced, directed and voiced characters in the animated feature Barnyard and is currently at work on Kung Pow 2: Tongue of Fury, the highly anticipated sequel (which he wrote, directs and stars in), to the wild, retro martial-arts comedy Kung Pow: Enter the Fist. That film grossed its entire budget on the opening weekend.
Oedekerk received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Film for Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. In addition, Oedekerk has appeared in the top comedy clubs in America and starred in and created television specials for NBC, ABC and UPN. In the world of animation, he has created original programming and supports them with groundbreaking technology.
In addition to Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty, Oedekerk's wide array of projects include the expansion of the Jimmy Neutron franchise, which includes multiple episodes of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron for Nickelodeon and Paramount.
Oedekerk's company, O Entertainment, led the way with the first IMAX 3-D animated film, Santa Vs. the Snowman 3-D, which was released in November 2002. Oedekerk also created "Thumbmation" technology, which marked its debut in a series of Thumb parody projects distributed worldwide on DVD and video by Image Entertainment. Kicking off the series was Thumb Wars, a send-up of the Star Wars trilogy. Five more films followed, including Thumbtanic, Bat Thumb and The Godthumb.
His writing credits include some of the most successful movies in recent history. While writing on the Fox series In Living Color, Oedekerk collaborated with Jim Carrey on the surprise hit comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, contributing to the film as an unbilled writer. When that film became a breakout success, Oedekerk was asked to write and direct its sequel, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, which proved to be one of those rare sequels that surpassed the box-office gross of the original film.
Following the success of the Ace Ventura franchise, Oedekerk wrote The Nutty Professor, which became one of the highest-grossing films of 1996. He also wrote, directed and appeared (in a scene-stealing cameo) in Nothing to Lose, starring Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence. He then went on to write the box-office smash and Golden Globe-nominated Patch Adams, which starred Robin Williams. On the small screen, Oedekerk directed, wrote and starred in his own television special for NBC, and produced an animated Christmas special for ABC as well as the original Thumb Wars special for UPN.
Oedekerk resides in Southern California with his wife; two children; and a badger, pound for pound known to be the most vicious mammal on the planet.
JOEL COHEN and ALEC SOKOLOW (Story by) have written some of the most memorable family films of our times, including Toy Story, for which they were nominated for an Academy Award®. Their other films include Cheaper by the Dozen, both films in the Garfield franchise, Money Talks and Goodbye Lover. Cohen lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Michele, and daughter, Pietra.
STEVE KOREN (Based on Characters Created by) began his writing career by handing jokes to Dennis Miller, Kevin Nealon and David Letterman in the hallways of the Rockefeller Center in New York City, where he worked as a tour guide. This led to a writing position with Saturday Night Live, where he earned several Emmy nominations, working with comedic talents such as Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Molly Shannon and Will Ferrell.
Koren eventually left the late-night show for the primetime sitcom world, where he worked as a writer/producer on the award-winning Seinfeld. Among his well-known episodes are "The Serenity Now," "The English Patient" and "The Abstinence."
Following Seinfeld, Koren spent several years as a writer/producer creating television sitcoms for NBC Universal, working with such actors as Steve Carell, Valerie Harper, Ron Liebman and Tiffani Thiessen.
In the motion picture world, Koren's screenplay credits include A Night at the Roxbury, starring Ferrell and Chris Kattan; Superstar, starring Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon; and the megahit Bruce Almighty, starring Jim Carrey. Most recently, Koren and his writing partner, Mark O'Keefe, teamed to write and produce Click, starring Adam Sandler and Kate Beckinsale. In addition, he has several screenplays in development at studios including Warner Bros., Paramount and Sony.
MARK O'KEEFE (Based on Characters Created by) grew up in the New York City suburb of Chappaqua. He started his career as a television writer for The Late Show With David Letterman. He has worked as a writer for such shows as Politically Incorrect and NewsRadio, and created and executive produced various pilots, as well as the short-lived series The O'Keefes.
O'Keefe teamed up with Koren to co-write and produce his first film, Bruce Almighty. The pair also teamed to write and produce Click, starring Adam Sandler and Kate Beckinsale
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