Meeting with the cast of the romantic comedy “Ticket to Paradise”, which evokes its collaboration, necessarily special, with the two Hollywood stars that are Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
An estranged couple come together to try to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they once did: giving in to love at first sight. Such is the pitch of the romantic comedy Ticket to Paradisein theaters today, which marks the fourth on-screen collaboration of Julia Roberts and George Cloonethere after Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve, Confessions of a Dangerous Man and Money Monster.
On the occasion of the release of the feature film, AlloCiné met the actresses Kaitlyn Dever and Billie Heavyplayers Maxime Boutier and Lucas Bravo as well as the director Ol Parker to evoke something, one imagines, quite special: a collaboration with two Hollywood stars of the caliber of Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
AlloCiné: What were your first impressions when you met George and Julia?
Kaitlyn Dever: The first time I met them together was at a dinner party hosted by the film’s producers, just before filming began. I couldn’t believe they were for real in front of me, it was a surreal moment. They were beaming.
Maxime Boutier: I was with Kaitlyn at this meal and had the same feeling. I thought I was in a dream. They were apparently looking forward to meeting us and making this movie. Immediately, I felt like family with them.
Lucas Bravo: I’m at a point in my career where it’s not enough to be in a good movie with a good script, I need to impart all my knowledge and wisdom. And so, nothing better than doing it with two actors who are struggling in their careers. They were receptive and they wanted to learn everything from me. I believe that I changed their life. I’m joking of course ! (laughs)
Ol Parker: The first time I met George was also at a restaurant, which I went to with my wife, in New York. I wasn’t with George but he was at another table. He came to see us and he was charming with us. I remember that when he left, he had paid our bill, I found that very gentlemanly and touching. This film is my way of thanking him for inviting me to the restaurant.
For Julia, it was more terrifying because it was a Zoom meeting. But in a few minutes, I realized how kind she is and what a resplendent woman she is. It was truly a complete pleasure to meet them.
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Maxime Bouttier and Kaitlyn Dever
AlloCiné: Was working with them a “ticket for heaven” or a “ticket for hell”?
Maxime Boutier: Just luck and a ticket to work with them was definitely a ticket to heaven! We shot the film on the Gold Coast of Australia and it was an amazing experience with those blue waters, those bright skies… Everything was perfect. In addition, we no longer had the weight of confinement with the Covid, so it was really a heavenly moment.
Ol Parker: It was of course a ticket to heaven to make this film. Especially since Julia and George are really close friends, their complicity is in no way “fake”. What a pleasure to work with them. They love to laugh together. I remember that dance scene where they kept kidding each other for fun and making each other laugh. What a magical moment to see them working with such pleasure.
Billie Heavy: It was a ticket to heaven to work with them, they are so generous and they joke around all the time.
2022 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. All Rights Reserved.
Julia Roberts and Lucas Bravo
AlloCiné: What is your favorite George and Julia film?
Kaitlyn Dever: For George, it’s In the Air, he is so good and full of emotion in this film. For Julia, it is The wedding of my best friend… No, I choose Erin Brockovich, what a tour de force this film! She is amazing and my dream is, one day, to be able to make a film like this.
Maxime Boutier: Without hesitation, it is Ocean’s Eleven. It’s a totally ripping franchise and I loved them in it.
Lucas Bravo: I love so much O’Brother with George Clooney. His performance reaches new heights.
Billie Heavy: My favorite Julia movie is also Erin Brockovich. She is stunning in this movie. After all these years, it’s a film that never gets old.
Ol Parker: My favorite George movie is Michael Clayton, it’s a masterpiece. For Julia, I will also say Erin Brockovich, what a blast!
2022 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. All Rights Reserved.
Director Ol Parker with Julia Roberts and George Clooney
AlloCiné: What is “Ticket to Paradise” really about for you?
Maxime Boutier: For me, it’s a film that reveals how we humans should coexist in harmony with nature. It is an environmental film that shows how we must protect the Earth so that it protects us in return.
Kaitlyn Dever: I think it’s a film that shows how important it is to follow what your heart tells you. The timing is perfect for this film and to see it in theaters.
Billie Heavy: It’s a film that invites you, in fact, to follow what your heart tells you, what you really want to do in life. Without society or your family interfering.
Ol Parker: For me, this film is about my two daughters, one 21 and the other 17. That’s where this movie comes from, to learn to let them live their lives the way they want. And not as I want. It’s also a film about the pleasure of laughing together, of living together, and I hope that the public will go laugh together at the cinema to see our film.
Interview by Emmanuel Itier.
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