Deliver Us from Eva : About The Production


Deliver Us from Eva began as an original screenplay written by James Iver Mattson and B. E. Brauner. In mid-1999, the script was optioned. Baltimore/Spring Creek Pictures shepherded the project through development.

In late 2000, writer/director Gary Hardwick was in the midst of editing his directorial debut "The Brothers" when he was approached with Deliver Us from Eva. Hardwick remembers, "I liked the script quite a bit. It was funny. It reminded me of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. "

With the concept beginning to emerge of an African-American cast starring in the movie, the intrigued Hardwick thought, "That would make it different. I decided to take on the movie and was amazed at how the characters blossomed as the script was tailored to the specifics of their lives. "

"The character of Eva was one that I'd never seen for an actress - black or white. This character and project gave me the chance to explore the next level of relationship themes after the ones that I had covered in 'The Brothers. '"

Once Hardwick completed his rewrite of the screenplay, a filming start date of October 2001 was set, so it was time to line up actors. Reteaming with casting director Reuben Cannon who had worked with him on populating "The Brothers" (and was now joined by Kim Williams), Hardwick sought to cast the lead character of Eva first: "I needed an actress with great talent, of course, but also one who was funny, dramatic, sexy, fresh - and who could make any of these transitions instantly. "

Over the years, some top actresses - both African-American and not - had been proposed for the part of the zealous yet still potentially vulnerable Eva. (After all, the character's name is in the film's title. ) But Hardwick had his ideal Eva in mind from the start: Gabrielle Union, who had appeared for him in "The Brothers. "

Hardwick elaborates, "Gabrielle has been on the verge for a while. She's a wonderful actress, very gifted and with marvelous comic timing. She's sexy, and she can make you laugh or she can make you cry. You want to watch her to see just exactly what she's going to do next. She has all the tools of a leading lady, and at a young age, too.

"I am very happy to able to say that I was the first filmmaker to give her the chance to step out in front, in position number one. "

Gabrielle Union was delighted to be able to reteam with Hardwick: "Gary keeps my bills paid," she laughs, "I signed on to strike gold once more. " She adds, "I feel honored to be working with Gary again. "

The actress was drawn to the character on her first reading of the script: "I loved it, and her. I loved how she relates to her sisters, and how she relates to Ray. She is flawed, yet you still want to pull for her. "Eva is very rigid - everything is very black-and-white for her. There are no gray areas in her life. She's not a happy woman. She basically gave up her life at 18 to raise her three younger sisters. In doing so, she gave up all of her hopes and her dreams. As her sisters grew older, Eva began to live vicariously through them, much to the chagrin of their boyfriends and husbands. The film picks up Eva's story as she's about to change - a lot. "

What changes this conservative, meddling woman into an open-minded, relaxed, loving person? Ray Adams, that's who. To fill that role, Hardwick knew he needed an actor whose on-screen charisma was equal to Gabrielle Union's. Again returning to a happy collaboration, Hardwick thought of LL Cool J. LL and Hardwick had worked together on the popular television series "In the House. " Back then, Hardwick saw LL as a solid talent, and has since "watched him grow by leaps and bounds as an actor. He's been an action man for so long that I wasn't sure he would want to take on the role of Ray. But he did, and he plays the part with depth and resonance, he's fantastic. I'm very happy to get him and Gabrielle together on-screen. It has been real magic between these two. "

LL Cool J was indeed ready to try something new in the way of movie roles: "I have never played this type of role before - and it's my first real leading-man role. "With this role of Ray Adams, I get to play someone who's cooler and more laid-back. Usually, I'm being chased by sharks or killers, or I'm an extra-tough guy. Ray is a bit of a player. He can spin an argument around into a friendly situation, and he loves to play with women. Although, as he says in the movie, 'I'm a lover, not a con man. '" Both lead actors liked being matched up by Hardwick. Union describes their on-screen relationship as one that "starts out in an adversarial way. They have a disastrous first date, but slowly he starts to win her over. Eva digs deeper and discovers a diamond in the rough. She sees that he's a good man. And I saw that Todd LL Cool J was a very good actor. "

LL, in turn, found his leading lady to be "skilled, beautiful, and smart. I think that audiences will be seeing a lot more of her. I enjoyed working with her tremendously. " As with "The Brothers," a believable and talented supporting troupe was sought. Like that film, many of the characters are family (or close to it). Hardwick "wanted to find actresses who complemented Gabrielle. " In Essence Atkins, Robinne Lee and Meagan Good, he saw actresses who could bring individuality to their roles, yet also be credible as the younger Dandridge sisters. Hardwick notes, "I had wanted to work with Essence Atkins on my last movie. Now we have the opportunity. Her character, Kareenah, married for 3 years to Tim, is the most accomplished of the younger sisters: she's a doctor, and the one most like Eva. She has a really big heart, but she is unwilling to let her sisters out of her life. Essence comes through like a champ in the part.”

Atkins sees Eva as "dominating her sisters' relationships. She's constantly making suggestions, intruding on their private time. The sisters love and respect her for what she's done since their parents died. She's become the matriarch of the family, but the sisters' men are desperate to get rid of her. " Robinne Lee plays Bethany, the new age-y middle sister running a beauty shop and contemplating a long-term commitment with policeman boyfriend Mike. Hardwick comments, "Bethany is trying to find her place in the world and amongst the sisters. She's philosophical, very grounded, and always trying to see the consequences and the karmic value of everything. She balances Kareenah. "

Lee did "a lot of research" to prepare for the role: "I loved the character of Bethany because she was spiritual. Her new age way of thinking is reflected in her dress, her accessories, and her home. So I started getting into yoga, Feng Shui, anything that would give me a handle on the character. " Meagan Good plays Jacqui, the sister who earned straight As in school and won a scholarship to college. Hardwick says, "Jacqui chose Darrell, a postal worker, to be her husband. He's not as smart as she is, but she loves his simplicity. In Deliver Us from Eva, all the couples are opposites in terms of their personalities - yet these opposites attract. Meagan brought a sense of maturity to her character that contrasts nicely with Dartanyan Edmonds, who plays Darrell like he's a big kid in a man's body. "

In addition to Edmonds, the parts of the sisters' husbands and boyfriend were filled by Duane Martin and Mel Jackson. Hardwick laughs, "Most comedy writers will tell you that all comedy trios are in some way The Three Stooges. No exceptions here - these characters were set up structurally, bodily, and character-wise to be that way! But we got more than we bargained for with these particular actors. We auditioned a lot of actors. We had groups of three read with each other, looking for chemistry, looking for the right feel. When these three read together, they had it. "Duane Martin is a strong, seasoned comedic actor. His character of Mike - which would be Moe in the Stooges comparison - thinks he's smarter than he really is. He's very aggressive, and the catalyst for all the action. Given his body of work, that's a stance Duane assumed naturally. " "Dartanyan, our Darrell - or Curly - is a stand-up comedian. He's very funny man and he's just beginning to realize how gifted an actor he is," continues Hardwick. "Mel Jackson - or, I guess, Larry -is very versatile. His character of Tim is the most difficult of these three: he's caught in the middle, because he's, to some extent, the one with the weakest personality. Mel created a really funny, deeply provocative characterization, showing how Tim loves his wife so much that he can't possibly stand up to her. He found moments of laughter and comedy that I didn't even know existed in the script. That's the mark of a really fine actor. "

The three actors don't mind their director's comparison to The Three Stooges. Martin confides, "We're just bumbling idiots, on and off the set. " The actor invokes his own comparison, unrelated to the Stooges (or even The Marx Brothers): "We're all different instruments on this piece. Dartanyan is playing the sax, Mel's playing the violin, and I'm playing the piano. So when we're in a scene together, everyone's not trying to do the same thing, or hit the same note. It's a nice, cool blend. Gary did well casting us together. "

Some of the three men's group dynamic stems from previous familiarity with each other. Jackson reports, "I've always liked Duane's work, and I was a fan of Dartanyan's before we started working together. It was just a pleasure to actually get a chance to be alongside them doing their things. I didn't always know what was going to come out of Dartanyan's mouth, or what Duane was going to say next. " The actors and actresses all praise Hardwick's directorial style. LL Cool J states, "Gary comes across as someone who has confidence, and a clear vision about his film. That's very important. I had a lot of fun working with him - he took us to the next level. " Essence Atkins enthuses, "Gary is such a gracious leader. He absolutely believes in collaboration, yet he knows what he wants to accomplish. We were able to work quickly and efficiently, but with a lot of laughter. "

Behind the scenes, more key creative talent from "The Brothers" joined up for the new film, including producer Paddy Cullen, cinematographer Alexander Gruszynski, film editor Earl Watson, and costume designer Debrae Little. These talented collaborators helped facilitate an efficient and enjoyable workplace for all concerned. The cast and crew of Deliver Us from Eva joined together to create an atmosphere that was conducive to both work and play. There were fun times that were scripted as well as some that stemmed from the strong sense of camaraderie on the set. Gabrielle Union savored her scenes as Eva, but admits to playing favorites. Just as the character adores horses, so too does the actress "really enjoy riding horses. I loved all the scenes where I got to work with them. "

The Deliver Us from Eva troupe, when not including the horses, would cut loose: "Between takes were the funniest times," recalls Union. "We had a 'New Edition vs. The Temptations' showdown, which was the cast versus the producers. The cast was New Edition, just so you know. " Mel Jackson concurs: "We built friendships every day. Duane would start it off with New Edition tunes, or another '80s act he would start mimicking. Everyone would join in. We were all professional, but off-camera, it was a fun environment. " LL Cool J remembers the fun, but also recalls having "issues" with certain pieces of his wardrobe: "I had to deal with the brutal, constant snapping and joking about these tight shirts that I have to wear every day. Tight shirts! Not small, not medium, but 'smedium. ' There were a lot of jokers around that set…"

The cast hopes that audiences will have as much fun watching Deliver Us from Eva as they had making it. Union muses, "I think that audiences will be pleasantly surprised by our performances. Some of us are stepping outside the box, playing against type. This is the first time they'll see LL as a vulnerable romantic lead who they root for to get the girl. They'll also see me taking on the responsibility of my first leading role. " Hardwick thinks that any and all audiences will respond in a positive manner: "I'd like for people to come away laughing, but also acknowledging that love is above all the best feeling. And we've hopefully proved that LL is a true leading man in all respects and that Gabrielle is star material. "

Author : Focus Features