‘Ripley’ casting director Avy Kaufman knew this unique adaptation ‘wasn’t going to be a remake of a remake’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Emmy-nominated “Ripley” casting director Avy Kaufman was previously familiar with the Tom Ripley works by Patricia Highsmith and their adaptations. But “how clever of [writer-director Steven Zaillian] to extend it to the magical place he did … The way Steve presented it, the way he wrote it, the way he set it up, the way he outlined everything gave me and probably all the other creatives a different approach, a different look at it.” So she knew this “wasn’t going to be a remake of a remake of a remake.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Kaufman above.
The Netflix limited series follows the title character (Emmy nominee Andrew Scott), who is sent to Italy to convince rich failson Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) to return to the United States. Instead, Ripley cons his way into the lives of Dickie and his partner Marge (Emmy nominee Dakota Fanning), and he’ll do whatever it takes to maintain his new life of luxury.
Scott was “everything [his role] needed to be,” according to Kaufman. “He’s so smart … I thought Andrew did a superb job.” As for Fanning, “we had just worked with her on ‘The Alienist’ … so when Steve said yes I was thrilled because I just knew how she would play with Andrew and Johnny. She’s another one of our smart actresses.” And in approaching the Dickie character, she just hoped Zaillian would pick Flynn. “I just knew Johnny would do something real.”
Kaufman is a three-time Emmy winner (once for “Damages,” twice for “Succession“), but awards are “a tricky thing.” She explains, “Awards shouldn’t make you happy because not everybody wins and they’re all good. But you’re happy for these actors when they win.” Ultimately, “you want to satisfy whomever we’re working with. We want to make them feel good and happy. And so you’re trying to make a lot of flowers bloom. You’re trying to make a lot of smiles happen. I wanted Steve to have a cast that he was very excited to work with.”
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