Hard to believe the hit movie, Titanic, was released 19 years ago!!!
Even though we have watched it a million times since, we still bawl our eyes out! (And there was SO room for 2 on that door, Rose!)
Anyway, as part of Throwback Thursday, we decided to take a little look back at the some of memorable cast of one of our favourite films, from then-and-now photos to some behind-the-scenes pictures.
Enjoy!
Leonardo DiCaprio: Jack Dawson
Leo will always be Jack Dawson to us, but it very nearly didn’t turn out that way. Matthew McConaughey and Chris O’Donnell were considered for teh role, and apparently Jared Leto was offered an audition but rejected it.
According to crew, DiCaprio wasn’t the easiest to work with in the audition as he refused to read through romantic scenes and kept joking around.
And you know that famous line, “I’m king of the world”? That wasn’t in the script! Leonardo improvised!
Behind the scenes: The scenes involving water were all filmed in tanks which were not heated, so in between these scenes, the actors jumped into heated pools to warm up (above). The water was only heated for the scenes where the ship goes under and everyone is submerged.
Kate Winslet: Rose DeWitt Bukater
Can you imagine anyone other than Kate Winsley playing the party of Rose?
Nope neither can we! Apparently however the role very nearly went to Gwyneth Paltrow.
Leo’s Romeo & Juliet co-star, Claire Danes, was also considered for the part. (Probably a good thing she didn’t get the role as she and Leo did NOT get along when filming Romeo & Juliet.)
Behind the scenes (Top) Kate at her dress fitting. (Bottom) Kate, wearing that same dress, filming the famous scene of the moment the iceberg hits
Kate however is said to have sent several letters to the Titanic director James Cameron pleading for a screen test.
She won him over and the role was hers!
Bernard Hill: Captain Edward John Smith
Originally, Robert De Niro was originally meant to play the part of the Titanic Captain John Smith, however he fell ill at the time and could not proceed with filming.
As a result, the iconic role went to Bernard Hill.
Suzy Amis: Lizzy Calvert
Model Suzy Amis, who played the granddaughter of ‘old Rose’, met her future husband on the set of Titanic, none other than the director James Cameron.
They married in 2000 and have 4 children together.
Billy Zane: Cal Hockley
007 star Pierce Brosnan was one of the actors who auditioned for the role of Cal. (He would have been BRILLIANT in that role.) That said, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Billy Zane playing Rose’s villainous fiance.
Matthew McConaughey had his sights set on playing the part of Jack but was considered too old for the role and so was said to have been offered the part of Cal instead, which he turned it down.
Frances Fisher: Ruth DeWitt Bukater
Award winning actress, Frances Fisher, played the role of Rose’s mother Ruth DeWitt Bukater.
When attending the premiere of Titanic, she cried so much during the film she famously asked the man next to her if she could have his doilie. That man was Prince Charles!
Jonathan Hyde: Bruce Ismay
Anyone who has ever watched Richie Rich will no doubt have recognised Mr Ismay as he played the butler to Richie Rich, Herbert Cadbury.
Born in Australia, the 67 year old actor is married to Scottish soprano Isobel Buchanan and currently lives in Bath, England.
Jason Barry: Tommy Ryan
When Jason Barry first appeared as IRA man Dano on Love/Hate, everyone knew he looked familiar but couldn’t figure out why. That’s when the penny dropped … the Irish guy on Titanic!
Today Jason splits his time between Dublin and LA. He also has two daughters, Freya and Nova Barry.
Alexandrea Owens-Sarno: Cora
Remember the lucky little girl who got to dance with Leo? The one he turned to and said, ‘you’re still my best girl Cora’?
Well here she is today, actress, Alexandrea Owens-Sarna!
And you know the little girl Billy Zane picks up as the boat is sinking to try and blag a place on the lifeboat? Alexandra’s little sister tried out for that part but cried too much during the audition and didn’t get the role!
Alexandra told Cosmopolitan, “At that time, my sister was 3 or 4, a little teeny, tiny thing. We’re [at the auditions], and my mom was talking about the Titanic, explaining the sinking, and my sister started crying! Just bawling. She was so sad that so many people had died. And at that exact moment, Mali Finn, who was the casting director for the film, walked by. Now, there’s a character in the film called “Crying Girl,” which is a little girl that Billy Zane picks up to get into a lifeboat with [during the sinking scenes]. Right away, Mali said, “Get that kid in a costume and get her on a boat right now!” So my mom took her, and they went and got her in costume to try out for the part.”
She added, “It didn’t work out for my sister, she had cried too much!“
Behind the scenes: Alexandra with Leo in between takes!
She has also since revealed that people sometimes still recognise her as Cora and on one occasion her friends even asked her to stand next to the television while Titanic was on so they could compare how she looked to back then!
Ioan Gruffudd: Harold Lowe
Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd played the role of fifth officer Harold Lowe, one of the only people to return for survivors. Following his role in Titanic, he was nicknamed Britain’s ‘answer to Leonardo DiCaprio!’
Today Gruffud lives in LA with wife, actress Alice Evans, whom he met on the set of 102 Dalmations.
And now for some more behind the scenes!
xx
