Prior to 2010’s Animal Kingdom Jacki Weaver had spent almost a decade away from film and television but now, with an Oscar nomination under her belt, she’s making a name for herself in Hollywood.
Her first project, The Five Year Engagement sees Weaver put Janine Cody firmly in the rearview mirror.
“I did receive some scripts playing evil old criminals who meet a sticky end but I think I was well-advised to try and make a departure,” she said, “I just thought it was so charming with such a great sense of humour that I couldn’t have thought of a better way to start working in America”
The Five Year Engagement, the latest comedy from Nick Stoller, Jason Segel and Judd Apatow, the creative team behind Forgetting Sarah Marshall. tells the story of Tom (Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt), an engaged couple who can’t seem to find their way down the aisle. Weaver plays Sylvia, Blunt’s mother but despite this, confesses she didn’t think her scenes would make it into the film.
“I’m surprised I’m still in the film. We shot about four hours of stuff. I reckon we could do a TV series out of it and a lot of it, of necessity, even though it’s a long film has gone by the wayside.”
The reason for this, Weaver explains, is that the cast, which includes numerous comedy stars from Alison Brie (Community) and Chris Pratt (Parks & Recreation) to Mindy Kaling (The Office) were encouraged to improvise as much as they’d like.
“There was a script, a really good script that we would always shoot exactly as scripted for two or three takes. And when he had that in the can then we were given our head. And some of it was outrageous, I have to say. I’ve never laughed so much in my life.”
The Five Year Engagement is Weaver’s first Hollywood film but it certainly won’t be her last. Other films set to be released this year include The Silver Linings Playbook and Stoker alongside Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska. She is also set to start shooting Wild Oats, a comedy alongside Shirley MacLaine, Jon Voight and Alan Arkin, later this year.
The Five Year Engagement is in cinemas now.
Jacki Weaver plays Sylvia, the mother of Emily Blunt's character in the film