Each episode ofA Perfect Couple opens with a rather joyful dance scene, contrasting with the dark atmosphere of the thriller. But this sequence should never have actually existed in the Netflix series starring Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies), which is currently a hit on the streaming platform.
« Call us criminals, criminals, baby » : from its first seconds, the credits ofA Perfect Couple surprises us, by using this song by Meghan Trainor, which makes you want to dance to the rhythm. This is exactly what the cast of the Netflix series does, who have a blast during this introduction to the otherwise dark world of detective stories, with a story of a mysterious murder to solve, the day before a wedding. However, this dance sequence in costumes and evening dresses almost never saw the light of day, because of a simple WhatsApp group.
The time for revolt has come on WhatsApp
When the director ofA Perfect CoupleSusanne Bier, proposed to introduce each episode of the Netflix series with a dance sequence, she probably did not expect to have to fight so hard with her cast. “I wanted to tell the audience that this was going to be a lot of fun,” explains the filmmaker with the American media VarietySeptember 5. “I think our times are a bit gloomy and I wanted to create something funny, with a lot of life. I wanted to see all the characters having fun.”
However, actors and actresses, including Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies), were absolutely not convinced by this bias, which seemed incongruous to them. The cast then launched a mini-revolt via a WhatsApp group created specifically for the occasion, categorically refusing to start this flashmob on the beach and seeking by all means to make this plan fail.
Ishaan Khatter, who plays Scooter, was an experienced dancer, but believes that “No one could make sense of this choreography. We wondered how it all fit into the narrative and we thought it wasn’t part of the deal!”
A sentiment shared by Nicole Kidman: “I didn’t see my character, the matriarch of the Winbury family, dancing at all! I felt like Greer would be more of a side-eye type. But I did it, and I thought it was great. I’m so glad they convinced us to do it, because there’s so much joy in that opening sequence.”
Seul Liev Schreiber (X-Men) stayed out of this famous WhatsApp group: “For my part, I was already practicing dance steps in my dressing room!”
A short dance, perfect for TikTok
The producers themselves were also skeptical about the subject, fearing that there would be no time to shoot this sequence. Doubts reinforced by the timing of the shooting, already put on hold for eight months, following the writers’ and actors’ strike that hit Hollywood in 2023. “Usually a sequence like this takes about a day, maybe two full days of shooting. But we managed to get it all together in just an hour and a half.”reveals Susanne Bier.
This scene, which has caused so much debate, has been choreographed by Charm La’Donnawho has worked with Rosalia, Selena Gomez, and even Meghan Trainor. She wanted to mix classic dance steps with inspirations like Saturday Night Feverall in 30 seconds, in the style of a TikTok trend. The sequence also refers to the detective plot ofA Perfect Couplesince the characters each point the finger at each other, as if to accuse each other of the famous murder at the heart of the series.
Source: www.numerama.com
