Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 2002 film, Catch Me If You Can, is based on the namesake autobiography of a notorious con artist – Frank Abagnale Jr. In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio portrays the role of the main character. The actor was so into the real-life story of Frank Abagnale Jr. that he would listen to audio seminars and read the man’s autobiography.
It is through his research that Leonardo DiCaprio stumbled upon an event in Frank Abagnale’s life, one which he absolutely had to have in the film. This scene involved renowned actress Ben Affleck’s ex-wife, Jennifer Garner. Since she was not in the original script for the film, Leonardo DiCaprio had to call and begged director Steven Spielberg to include it in the movie.
Leonardo DiCaprio Insisted on Having This Scene in the Film
In Catch Me If You Can, Jennifer Garner played the role of Cheryl Ann, a s*x worker. The actress can only be seen in one scene throughout the entirety of the movie and even for that, she has Leonardo DiCaprio to thank.
This part of Frank Abagnale was never supposed to be in Steven Spielberg’s original script. Things changed when DiCaprio was listening to audio seminars and reading the con artist’s autobiography. The actor recalled how reading about it made him laugh so much that he was almost brought to tears. DiCaprio wasted no time in calling Spielberg and convincing him why the event just had to be included in the script.
According to VK, DiCaprio stated,
“Jennifer Garner was very sweet. In my opinion, she was perfect for this role. Actually, this scene…it might not have been in the movie. It wasn’t in the first draft of the script. I learned about this episode from Frank’s life in preparation for the role, it is mentioned in his autobiography and audio seminars.
You know, it was like books on tape in which he told stories from his real life. To be honest, this case made me laugh almost to tears! You have no idea! After all it was actually incredibly unique, bright and, I would even say a grand segment from Frank’s life. I called Steven and begged him to include it in the script. And he did, he listened to me! The episode ended up safely in the movie, not on the floor of the editing room, which I’m unspeakably glad.”
The said scene involved Abagnale giving Garner’s character a cheque for $1400 after he agreed to give Cheryl a grand for one night with him. While Cheryl gave him a change of $400, the cheque turned out to be a counterfeit and she was conned out of her money thanks to Abagnale’s manipulative ways.
Garner’s short involvement in the film was before her breakout role in 13 Going On 30.
Steven Spielberg Talks about Catch Me If You Can
In an interview with IGN’s Steve Head, Spielberg opened up about glamorizing Abagnale’s story for the film. When asked if he thought it would give people the wrong idea about the whole story, Spielberg stated that it was impossible to get the wrong idea from the film.
“I don’t think they can get the wrong idea because, because Frank Abagnale is the only person who ever did it to this extent, and that was thirty-seven, thirty-eight years ago. He was just this sixteen-, seventeen-, eighteen-year-old kid. So, you have to understand these things. Especially, there were no safeguards. There were no electronic safeguards that we have today with this kind of thing.
It’s a lot harder to pass a bad check today than it was eight years ago. Frank was a twenty-first-century genius working within the innocence of the mid-’60s when people were more trusting than they are now. So, I don’t think this is the kind of movie where somebody could say, ‘I have a career plan.’”
He does make a solid point, doesn’t he? As for what was the most difficult part of the shoot, Spielberg stated that it was “all the family stuff.” While the cons were fun to film, the family stuff made it emotional and tender.
You can stream Catch Me If You Can on Max.
Source: VK
