The Frame's John Horn and Darby Maloney were in the auditorium of a Telluride middle school that's been transformed into a 500-seat movie theater. The house was packed following a screening of "Wild," directed by Jean-Marc Vallée ("Dallas Buyer's Club").
Vallée and screenwriter Nick Hornby adapted Cheryl Strayed's best-selling memoir, with Reese Witherspoon producing and starring.
The Frame's John Horn moderated a Q&A with director Jean-Marc Vallée, actresses Laura Dern and Reese Witherspoon, author Cheryl Strayed, producer Bruna Papandrea and executive producer Bill Pohlad.
Interview Highlights
Reese on what compelled her about the book:
"I was sent the book before it came out and I just thought it was extraordinary. It was one of the most moving things I had read in my life and I called Cheryl the next day. I called my agent and I was like, I have to talk to this woman, she's so amazing. I called her and I said, 'I don't know who you are, but I need to hug you. I feel like I know you.' We talked and I told her I would honor her and I would make this movie and wouldn't let it languish somewhere for a long time. I would really make it. I was lucky enough that she gave me the option for the book."
Producer Bruna Papandrea on why she and Reese wanted to put "Wild" on the big screen:
"Reese and I had met just before she sent me 'Wild' and one of the things that we had talked about was creating a company where we could tell female-driven stories — not just for Reese to star in, but for all women everywhere — because we felt that that was not being represented. And that it was our job to develop those movies ourselves. Two weeks later she sent me this amazing book and I literally was like, 'Are you f---ing kidding me?' It's like the dream project to start our company with and that's what we did. A year later we're sitting here."
Reese on the biggest challenge during shooting "Wild":
"Our first challenge was the government shutdown a week before we were supposed to shoot in every national park in Oregon. So we were in a total panic and we kind of had to reorganize the whole schedule so that we were shooting in different locations. It was cold, too, we were supposed to be shooting in the summer and we ended up starting in October. I don't like to be cold at all. The first day of shooting I was freezing. It was the day I put together the tent. I went home and called my husband [and said], 'I'm not going to be able to handle this. This is too cold.' He said, 'When you sign on to do a movie called "Wild" — a movie about a woman hiking over 1,000 miles — did you you think that that was going to be fun?'"
Strayed on what she would say to her late mother:
"I often get asked if I could say something to my mom, if I could go back in time and say one thing to my mom, it used to always be 'I love you' or 'Thank you.' Now it's, 'Laura Dern plays you in a movie!'"
Photos courtesy of Merrick Chase.