Ted Melfi is having an amazing few months. His second feature film, “Hidden Figures,” is a massive pop culture zeitgeist blockbuster ($147 million global) and has earned three Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Melfi also earned nominations for both categories as a producer and co-screenwriter (alongside Allison Schroeder). He was kind enough to sit down earlier this week to talk about his experience on the underdog drama so far.
Melfi, who previously wrote and directed “St. Vincent,” discusses the Friday night he was pitched the movie, the beginning of a weekend where he was waiting to hear whether he’d gotten the gig to direct what became “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Melfi also dives into what the three leading ladies of ‘Figures,’ Taraji P. Henson, Jonaelle Monae and Octavia Spencer, all brought to the project. As well as the very underrated production designer Wynn Thomas, the test screening process and what they pulled off on a budget half of what they probably needed. And, of course, his thoughts about attending the Academy Awards, what’s next and the best advice Bill Murray ever game him.
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