How Eva Longoria quietly saved ‘John Wick’
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — Not all heroes wear capes. Sometimes they write big checks.
That’s just what Eva Longoria did for the “John Wick” film, according to a Business Insider report.
In honor of the hit movie’s tenth anniversary, co-director Chad Stahelski talked to the publication and shared how they ran out of money before they began filming.
“We were less than a week out, and we lost almost $6 million on a gap financing,” he said. “We were financing independently to get the bond, but one of the investors couldn’t raise the money in time.”
Stahelski’s co-director David Leitch and star Keanu Reeves had invested their own money, and one of the film’s producers, Basil Iwanyk, had maxed out three credit cards trying to get the revenge-action movie made.
Just when it looked like it may not be happening, talent agency CAA, which was putting the financing together, offered some of their clients the opportunity to invest, according to Stahelski. Longoria stepped up.
“She came to the rescue, and she provided the gap financing, literally less than 24 hours before we had to lock the doors on the movie and walk away,” Stahelski said.
He added that Iwanyk didn’t reveal her participation until after the 2014 movie became a hit. It led to three sequels.
Longoria, who came to fame starring on “Desperate Housewives,” has gone on to a successful producing career, including the series Lifetime’s “Devious Maids” and the dating reality series “Ready for Love.”
The-CNN-Wire
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