How did four perfectly nice actors get mixed up with a movie like this? Two (printable) words: Mike Nichols. ''I trust Mike fully. I'm not embarrassed to do anything around him,'' says Portman, a friend whom Nichols (The Graduate, Angels in America) directed in his star-studded 2001 Central Park production of The Seagull. The 23-year-old was the first aboard, after Nichols approached her for the part. It would mark a departure for her: Portman, historically, has been leery of highly sexualized roles.
''He wants to see my bare ass much less than [even] my father would. He's as or more protective of me than my parents are. So doing sexual, physical stuff for him felt very comfortable.'' (Nichols made good on that trust. After shooting the strip-club scene fully nude — ''You can't do this stuff half-assed, pun intended,'' notes Portman — the director supported her decision to nix the skin shots.)
With Portman in pocket, Nichols went about filling the other three roles — all four are almost identical in size. ''He said he wanted the sexiest cast possible,'' recalls Portman.
''I was interested in people who could ostensibly have anything they want,'' says Nichols. ''What were their choices? What happens? And because the four are remarkable actors and human beings first, and beautiful after that, I thought it became more interesting. Because they're not just beautiful. They're significant people.''
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