A terrifying real-life kidnapping occurred on the set of Baz Luhrmann movie ‘Romeo + Juliet’
For decades, Hollywood has adapted plays by William Shakespeare into glossy productions, whether that be through faithful productions or unique interpretations. Many rom-coms made in the 1990s and 2000s took source inspiration from the Bard’s work, such as The Taming of the Shrew becoming 10 Things I Hate About You and Twelfth Night providing the basis of She’s The Man.
One of the playwright’s most recognisable efforts is Romeo and Juliet, the classic tale of “star-crossed lovers” who cannot be together despite falling passionately in love. Set in the 14th or 15th century – although this is debated – the play is often referred to as one of the greatest romantic tragedies of all time. It has been adapted for the silver screen several times, with Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 version, starring Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, becoming one of the most popular.
However, in 1996, Baz Luhrmann, director of Strictly Ballroom, decided to create his own unique interpretation of the tale, placing it in the ‘90s, using a fictional setting of Verona Beach as the backdrop for Shakespeare’s story. Interestingly, Luhrmann required his actors to use the traditional Shakespearian script word-for-word despite modernising (and Americanising) the setting.
Employing Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the tragic leads, Luhrmann used modern music from the likes of Radiohead, Butthole Surfers, Garbage and The Cardigans to bring his movie to life. A vital part of the project lies in the characters’ iconic costumes, with each actor possessing immaculately styled hair (who can forget Danes’ half-up half-down hairdo or DiCaprio’s floppy blonde look). Since its release, the film has often been remembered for its incredible use of fashion and style, as well as its cinematic merits.
The cast’s hair was predominantly styled by Aldo Signoretti, a hair and makeup artist who went on to earn three Oscar nominations in the 2000s for works such as Moulin Rouge. However, one day, disaster struck when Signoretti was kidnapped from the set of Romeo + Juliet. What could have turned incredibly dangerous was luckily over pretty soon due to the kidnappers demanding a ransom of just $300.
In an interview with Arts Beat L.A, Luhrmann recalled his “adventurous time” while filming in Mexico. He said: “The hair and makeup person, Aldo Signoretti, who worked with Fellini, was kidnapped. We paid $300 to get him back, I thought rather a bargain. I was not there; he was kidnapped.”
The director added: “The Bandidos rang up and said for $300, you can have him back. So Maurizio [Silvi; makeup artist], who is about this high, goes down clutching the money to outside the hotel, holds it up, chucks them the bag, and they threw him out of the car and broke his leg.”
Luckily, apart from a broken limb, Signoretti made it back safe, and production could continue. Still, the making of Romeo + Juliet also saw issues between feuding co-stars Danes and DiCaprio, hurricanes that “wiped out the set”, and a bout of widespread illness that delayed production even further.
