Friction on the Movie Set

June 9, 2009 -- SOPHIA VASSILIEVA, ABIGAIL BRESLIN, CAMERON DIAZ are teamed in the movie based on the bestselling book from Jadi Picoult, “My Sister’s Keeper”. It’s a story ripe with emotion as the older daughter, played by Sophia, is dying of cancer and the younger daughter, played by Abigail becomes a donor to save her sister’s life. There has been much fodder surrounding Sophia and Abigail. “There was much friction on the set”, said an insider. Sophia, it seems, was annoyed at the attention Abigail was getting. “She hates Abigail”, said my confidante. Well, I interviewed the three women and Sophia was most complimentary of her younger co-star. Fine acting, I thought, if what I had heard was true.

In the interview room, the body language was all telling. Abigail was shy and halting. She sat on the edge of her seat. Eyes wide, legs crossed at the ankles swinging, her hands folded neatly across her lap and she spoke softly – searching gently for the right things to say. Not the Abbie I’ve interviewed several times before who was spontaneous and gilded with sunshine. Then there was Ms Sophia, whose performance was spectacular as the dying teen. She sat on the other side of Cameron, legs crossed and turned away from her co-stars. Ruby red lipstick and she wore a sly smile. She looked like a panther waiting for bait. She was most complimentary of “little Abbie”. Cameron, in the middle of the two, enjoying the dynamics as much as I…. The vixen and the ingénue. And only a moment ago did I realize what I saw on the big screen. It was more than a movie based on a book. For me, it was like watching Joan Crawford and Betty Davis. Rivals wearing jeweled smiles. Brava ladies. Brava.