Michael Fassbender’s director had to convince him to live on an isolated island for five weeks for ‘The Light Between Oceans’.
Initially the actor was not keen to relocate to a lighthouse 90 mins away "from any living person" with just director Derek Cianfrance, co-star Alicia Vikander and a 12-person crew but by the end of the shoot, the filmmaker had to "literally pull him from the location".
Derek told the Hollywood Reporter: "It was me, Michael, Alicia and a 12-person crew and we all lived at this lighthouse location that was an hour-and-a-half away from any living person and we lived there for five weeks. I remember when I first presented that idea to Michael and he asked if it was really necessary. And I told him ‘Michael I fought so many battles to allow us to do this. This is a gift I am giving you. More than any type of direction, I can give you this experience. So, please give it a shot.’ And he goes ‘Okay, I’ll give it one night.’ And then flash forward five weeks later and I had to literally pull him from the location."
Derek admitted he always had Michael in mind to play Tom, the male lead and said Alicia was the perfect actress to star opposite him in the movie about a childless couple who find a baby in a boat that washes up on their island.
He said: "I kind of thought about Michael as Tom all along. I always thought that Michael was like a mental giant in movies. But I had never seen his heart, so when I met with him I wanted to understand what his heart was about.
"Then I had to find someone that would match with him. For Isabelle I told my casting director that I needed to find Gena Rowlands from ‘A Woman Under the Influence’ or Vivien Leigh from ‘Gone with the Wind’ — I needed to find someone who was exactly what they felt. She falls in love with you and she ask you to marry her. If she finds a baby she wants to keep it. She’s impulse. And my casting director said, ‘You need to meet Alicia.’"
Michael Fassbender not keen on lighthouse living initially
