The 2003 movie that “humiliated” Diane Keaton: “We felt so much terror”
Few women have enjoyed as many high-profile fictional relationships as Diane Keaton.
Her breakout role in The Godfather saw her play Al Pacino’s wife, which was quickly followed by a romance with Woody Allen in Annie Hall. In the years that followed, her characters have been courted by Steve Martin, Warren Beatty, Craig T Nelson, and many more.
In 2003, Keaton added another legendary name to her list of on-screen beaus. She played Erica Barry, a middle-aged playwright, in Nancy Meyers’ classic rom-com Something’s Gotta Give. After her daughter becomes involved with a much older man named Harry, played by Jack Nicholson, the group ends up accidentally sharing a weekend at Erica’s beach house. In true rom-com fashion, Erica ends up winning Harry over and forcing him to ditch his policy of only dating women under 30.
Something’s Gotta Give was notable for showing a romantic relationship between two older people, which was rare at the time and still feels a little taboo even to this day. Things get very steamy between Erica and Harry, something that made Keaton feel a little uncomfortable. As she explained to the Los Angeles Times, she and her co-star had to work together to overcome their embarrassment.
“Jack and I were humiliated most of the time,” she revealed. “There was so much kissing and all this time in bed. We felt so much terror about being so exposed, and we got to be so close because of that.”
Fans might not have been used to seeing Nicholson in such a light-hearted role, but they were certainly familiar with his own complicated relationship history. He was in a much-covered on-and-off relationship with Angelica Huston, who was 14 years younger than him, for many years. He has two children with Rebecca Broussard, who is 26 years his junior, and famously lured Lara Flynn Boyle away from David Spade when she was 29 and he was 62. You could say he was born to play this part.
Keaton and Nicholson were so convincing on screen that one tabloid paper even speculated that they were dating in real life. However, Keaten was quick to shut this claim down. “Jack and I would never get together like that,” she continued. “I can’t see Jack going out with someone in their 50s. Also, we are both too set in our ways, and he’s too huge, a myth, a legend. There’s no way.”
It might not have spawned a real-life love story, but Something’s Gotta Give was very beneficial to both of its stars. Nicholson was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as has spoken very highly of time on the film.
As for Keaton, she not only picked up the fourth and final Oscar nod of her career for her work. She also once referred to the film as one of her all-time favourites.
