Feig’s Second ‘Favor’: A Deep Dive into the Making of ‘Another Simple Favor’
AUSTIN, Texas – Paul Feig, the celebrated director known for his sharp wit and stylish filmmaking, made a memorable appearance at the world premiere of “Another Simple Favor” during South by Southwest. Donning a voguish cowboy ensemble complete with a cream-colored fringed jacket, cowboy hat, and matching boots, Feig perfectly embodied the spirit of the Texas setting. His sartorial choice was more than just a nod to the festival’s location; it symbolized his triumph over internal doubts in creating a sequel to the wildly popular 2018 film, “A Simple Favor.”
Feig openly admitted the challenges he faced during the development process. Sitting on a vibrant patio at the Four Seasons during the festival, clad in a pinstripe suit complemented by cherry-red Lucchese boots, he revealed his initial hesitations.
“There were a lot of times in the development of this I tried to kill it because I was just like, ‘If we dont get it right, lets not do it,’ ” Feig confessed. His commitment to quality was paramount, driving him to scrap a significant portion of a previously greenlit script. “We actually had a script that was greenlit, and we threw 70% out of it after reading online what people were looking forward to about the movie. “Im not about fan service, but also I dont want to rug pull an audience.”
The original “A Simple Favor” captivated audiences with its blend of mystery, dark humor, and compelling characters. The story revolves around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), an enthusiastic mommy vlogger, who becomes entangled in the disappearance of her enigmatic friend, Emily (Blake Lively). The plot thickens as Stephanie uncovers Emily’s elaborate scheme of faking her own death and attempting to frame her husband, Sean (Henry Golding). Ultimately, Emily’s plan unravels when Stephanie secretly records her confession during a livestream, leading to Emily’s arrest.
The success of the first film posed a significant challenge for Feig. He grappled with the question of how to create a sequel that would both satisfy existing fans and offer something fresh and exciting.
“There have been very few sequels Ive seen where Ive gone, ‘Oh, Im so glad they made that,’ ” Feig stated. “To do a sequel, do you deconstruct those people so theyre having problems again? Will the audience not have patience for that? ‘I thought, we just repaired them in the first one? Why are they a mess again now?’ Or are you just going to take them into a situation as the characters we already know and then were losing that fun of discovery of who they are.”
Feig realized that he needed to push his lead characters beyond their established boundaries. "Another Simple Favor" finds Emily, fresh out of prison thanks to her high-powered attorneys, engaged to the mysterious Dante (Michele Morrone) and planning a lavish wedding in Capri, Italy. In a surprising turn, she asks Stephanie to be her maid of honor, setting the stage for a new chapter filled with intrigue and unexpected twists. Henry Golding reprises his role as Sean, while Elizabeth Perkins takes over from Jean Smart as Emily’s mother, and Allison Janney joins the cast as Emily’s aunt.
“Its a new mystery of, ‘Whats Emily up to?’ ” Feig explained. “And I think that was the fun of this because Emilys such a good, slippery character that you never quite know what her motivations are.”
Stephanie, too, undergoes a transformation in the sequel. Encouraged by Anna Kendrick, Stephanie exhibits a newfound assertiveness and strength. Feig recounted an instance where he initially envisioned Stephanie as startled and nervous when Emily surprises her at a book signing. However, Kendrick pointed out, “ ’I put her in jail already once,’ ” prompting Feig to rewrite the scene and empower Stephanie. “I was like, ‘You know, youre right.’ And so we readjusted the script to give her that.”
Feig also values the input of his actors, particularly Blake Lively, who he describes as possessing a deep understanding of her character. Lively herself stated at the screening that Emily is "probably my favorite character Ive ever been fortunate enough to play."
For Feig, Lively embodies the essence of Emily perfectly. “Its not who she is at all,” he said. “Blake is just the sweetest kind of Earth Mother. But she can snap into this character and just be so biting and asserting and scary, but funny at the same time.”
He recalled their initial collaboration on the first film, highlighting their shared creative process. “Shes pitching me ideas, and Im pitching back to her and together we take the character as we had written it originally, and then make it even better and more interesting and more three-dimensional,” Feig said. “But that’s what I do with all my actors. Thats my process, no matter who Im working with."
Feig emphasizes that collaboration is an essential aspect of his directorial approach. “The idea that movie stars show up to a movie and just go, ‘OK, Im just going to do it the exact way you wrote it,’ theres not a movie star Ive ever known or ever talked to who works that way,” Feig stated. “Everybody collaborates.”
Feig also addressed the rumors surrounding Blake Lively, as she is currently embroiled in competing lawsuits with her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Baldoni and other defendants accuse Lively of "asserting control" over the film’s creative elements.
Feig defended Lively, condemning the notion of tension between female co-stars as sexist. He referenced his experience directing “Bridesmaids,” recalling a male producer who warned him about potential conflicts within the all-female cast.
“Its totally sexist, 100% sexist,” he tells USA TODAY. “When I was going to do ‘Bridesmaids,’ a male producer I know said, ‘Oh, boy, get ready. Six women in a cast. They’re going to be fighting.’ ”
Feig refuted this stereotype, stating that the experience of directing "Bridesmaids" was “the greatest experience of my life,” emphasizing the positive camaraderie among the cast. “Of course it was the greatest experience of my life,” he says. “Everybody got along so well. People try to invent this (expletive) when two women get together.”
With the anxieties surrounding the “A Simple Favor” sequel now behind him, Feig remains open to the possibility of revisiting past projects, including “Bridesmaids.” However, he acknowledges that the decision ultimately rests with Kristen Wiig, the star and co-writer of the film.
“I know it seems like its easy,” he adds. “But thats the scary part.”
“Another Simple Favor” arrives on Amazon’s Prime Video May 1, promising a delectable blend of mystery, humor, and unforgettable characters. Get your martinis ready!
