Buckle up, folks! I’ve got a juicy scoop on the wildly popular novel, Red, White & Royal Blue. But hey, heads up! Spoiler alert ahead, so if you haven’t read it yet, proceed with caution. Get ready to dive into the enchanting world of politics, romance, and scandal that this book serves on a silver platter. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we unveil the secrets hidden within its pages. This mind-blowing tale will have you on the edge of your seat, eagerly flipping through each chapter to uncover what lies ahead. So, grab a cup of coffee, snuggle into your comfiest spot, and prepare to be completely enthralled by the remarkable journey that Red, White & Royal Blue takes you on. Are you ready to join this thrilling adventure? Let’s embark together!
In 2019, the book “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston took the world by storm. It quickly gained popularity, making its way onto the prestigious New York Times bestseller list. As a result of its success, a film adaptation was created and is now available for streaming on Prime Video.
If you’re a fan of books, you probably expected a few alterations when they transformed the charming romantic comedy that tells the tale of Alex Claremont-Diaz (played by Taylor Zakhar Perez), the First Son of the United States, and Prince Henry (portrayed by Nicholas Galitzine), a member of the British royal family.
Writer-director Matthew López expresses his aspiration for people to comprehend and warmly accept the concepts that needed adjustment to bring the movie to life. He and Casey McQuiston constantly discuss and emphasize the changes required. As Casey aptly stated, “It’s my book, it’s your movie.” Despite their similarities, the book and the movie possess distinct qualities.
López describes his main hurdle as compressing the narrative into a two-hour film. He acknowledges that the pacing and structure of a book drastically differ from that of a movie. In Casey’s tale, which spans roughly 500 pages, López had to fit all the essential elements within a limited two-hour timeframe. Comparatively, the audiobook lasts for a whopping 12 hours and 15 minutes. This meant that approximately 10 hours and 15 minutes of content had to be omitted. López expresses his desire for both the book and the movie to be appreciated by audiences, hoping that people will find enjoyment in both versions, finding common ground and embracing their unique qualities.
López, being an accomplished writer and director, has a knack for transforming renowned pieces into his own creative ventures. For instance, his play “The Inheritance” not only earned him a Tony award but also serves as a reimagined version of “Howard’s End.” Additionally, he collaborated with Amber Ruffin on the musical adaptation of “Some Like It Hot.” It seems that López may be establishing a reputation for his skill in adapting beloved works while infusing them with his own unique twist. Nonetheless, his goal is to keep the essence of the original intact, allowing people to appreciate both the original and his adaptations.
In tackling the Red, White & Royal Blue edits, López remained steadfast in his approach, ensuring that the essence of the movie revolved around the lives of Alex and Henry both individually and as a couple. Anything that failed to contribute to my understanding of their characters or their bond was promptly removed. I had to be assertive and unwavering in this regard. Though some choices may have posed a bit of a dilemma, I ultimately prioritized whatever enhanced my grasp of these two protagonists. This overarching principle guided every alteration made throughout the process.
Considering all of this, López deconstructs the significant alterations from the written page to the silver screen, shedding light on the rationale behind his directorial choices.
In the realm of the story, Alex comes from a broken family; his dad, Oscar Diaz, serves as a senator in sunny California, while his stepfather resides in the prestigious White House alongside his own family. However, when it comes to the big screen adaptation, Oscar (played by the talented Clifton Collins Jr.) and President Ellen Claremont (portrayed by the stunning Uma Thurman) are depicted as a blissfully wedded couple.
López explains that when it comes to movies, having too many characters can become overwhelming. In order to create a more cohesive and engaging story, it was important for the main character, Oscar, to remain married to Ellen. By eliminating one character, the audience can focus more on the storyline without being distracted. Additionally, López wanted to portray a Latino father who is committed to his family, specifically a Mexican American father. It was crucial for the family unit to be intact in the movie, as this strengthened the overall narrative. This deliberate choice allowed López to deepen his understanding of the character Alex and further enhance the film’s impact.
Furthermore, when it comes to the book, Oscar holds the position of a senator in California, whereas in the movie, he represents Austin, Texas in the House. López, the director, reveals that his intention was for Oscar to have a strong connection with Alex’s family home. The aim was to establish a sense of belonging for Alex, so that when the audience sees the house towards the end of the film, it isn’t just an abandoned structure. Instead, it serves as a fully functioning family home, creating a foundation from which Oscar gains eligibility for his congressional seat. This decision was made strategically, driven by both emotional and logical considerations.
If you’re a fan of the novel, you may have noticed that Alex’s sister June is absent from the movie adaptation. But there’s a specific and intentional reason why López made this decision.
According to the director, this particular change sparked a lot of controversy. The idea of having two young actors portray the characters Nora and June was met with mixed feelings. The concern was that with both of them present, their roles would be diminished, leaving them with very little to do in the movie. The director feared that neither actress would have a genuine opportunity to stand out and possibly fade into the background. To make matters worse, on set, they would often jokingly say ‘R.I.P. June’ as the director took elements from her story and transferred them to Nora.
Aside from simply wanting to provide more substance and depth to the performance of actress Rachel Hilson, López also had a narrative motive behind the change. “As I was piecing the film together, I realized that I wanted Alex to be an only child because I intended to cast actors who are older than what is commonly assumed for the characters,” he explains. “I needed something that would help the audience comprehend why Alex is sheltered. I wanted him to exude the energy of an only child. Although it isn’t explicitly mentioned in the movie, the fact that Alex is an only child implicitly aids in the audience’s understanding of his character.”
According to López, explaining this particular change to McQuiston proved to be the biggest challenge. López candidly admits that it was initially difficult for Casey to comprehend. However, he commends Casey’s storytelling prowess, stating that Casey is clever enough to understand the rationale behind it.
McQuiston’s book takes a unique approach by portraying a woman as the ruler, but in the movie adaptation, the story shifts to focus on a king. This change is primarily due to the exceptional talent of Stephen Fry.
López admitted that they had been on the hunt for an activity to share with Stephen for quite some time. Finally, they settled on the idea of creating a king. It seemed like the perfect fit for Stephen. After all, who wouldn’t want to involve someone like Stephen Fry in such creative endeavors?
Moreover, López believed that the portrayal of the Queen of England had been thoroughly explored in popular culture. It is worth mentioning that the movie was filmed before the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
He explains that the entertainment field was already filled with numerous queens, which created a saturation effect. The challenge lied in finding a way to portray a Queen of England without immediately reminding the audience of Queen Elizabeth. Many actresses on the initial list had previously played Queen Elizabeth or another Queen of England, further complicating the selection process.
Now that King Charles III has ascended to the throne, López believes that he has established a pattern that audiences will become accustomed to in the future. He points out, “Even if Queen Elizabeth were still alive when the movie was released, the majority of people will come across this film during their lifetime with a reigning King of England.” López also acknowledges, “If the principle of primogeniture continues, the next three rulers of England will be male.” This sets a precedent for what viewers can expect in terms of the monarchy’s succession and adds an intriguing element to the movie’s storyline.
In this intriguing novel, Alex becomes caught up in a web of mystery that revolves around Senator Rafael Luna and his mother’s contender for the presidency, Jeffrey Richards. It is the Richards campaign that reveals the hidden emails and pictures that expose Alex and Henry’s clandestine connection.
However, in the movie, it is Miguel Ramos, a political reporter played by Juan Castano, who becomes the villain and betrays Alex. The author of the book, López, explains that he made the decision to change the storyline in order to avoid unnecessary complications and ensure a clear understanding of the conflict in the film. He wanted to create a straightforward and easy-to-follow complication, so he chose to eliminate Luna’s role and the intrigue surrounding the Richards campaign. This allowed for a simpler and more focused plot in the movie.
Instead, we created the character of Miguel Ramos, a journalist who Alex had a previous romantic encounter with. Through Miguel, we can grasp one of the main driving forces behind the email leak. The goal was for the audience to immediately understand the significance of the leak without any confusion or need to analyze it. This plot point holds a substantial portion of the book’s narrative and provides an enjoyable reading experience. However, it also posed a challenge in terms of runtime. Incorporating this element meant adding an extra 20 minutes, which I couldn’t afford without sacrificing other crucial scenes. Therefore, it was a well-thought-out decision to introduce conflict, stakes, and danger while keeping an efficient storytelling approach.
López believed that the reason for this confusion lay in the recent memory of the News of the World hacking scandal, which involved journalists illegally accessing private communication of the royal family. He felt that the audience would naturally assume that a rogue journalist was responsible for this incident. Thus, he decided to create a character who could fulfill this role and help the audience make sense of the situation.
When it comes to his sexual orientation, Alex starts off thinking he is straight. Back in high school, he had a bit of an experimental moment with his close pal, Liam. However, it isn’t until Henry unexpectedly plants a kiss on him that Alex’s world turns upside down. This single act sets off a whirlwind of emotions for Alex, leaving him feeling puzzled and yearning for answers.
In this particular scene, Alex engages in a sexual encounter with reporter Miguel Ramos, displaying a rather carefree attitude towards the individuals he chooses to sleep with and their identities. According to López, the director, the character of Alex in the movie differs slightly from the character in the book. The movie focuses on more concise storytelling, as it lacks the inner thoughts and reflections found in the book. In a film, a character’s actions define them, so it was essential to create an actionable moment for Alex. This is depicted when Alex expresses his confusion about being attracted to Henry, despite being more comfortable with his attraction towards men in general. López wanted to highlight Alex’s genuine struggle of not having assigned himself a label, but also acknowledging that being attracted to men is not a revelation to him. It is only when Henry enters his life that Alex is prompted to contemplate his own identity.
In McQuiston’s novel, there is a memorable scene where Alex sends a message to Henry, saying, “Thinking about the impact we can make throughout history, what do you think?” This particular phrase holds significant meaning in their bond, leading to fans donning T-shirts embellished with the quote as a symbol of support. Furthermore, the phrase becomes the focal point of an immense artwork depicting Alex and Henry as the iconic Han and Leia from Star Wars. Its popularity among fans is such that it has been featured on various literary-themed merchandise available online.
In the film, the line that was previously part of the mural sequence has been altered. Instead of being visually displayed, it is now spoken out loud by Alex during a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The director, López, made this change because he believed that having Alex say the line in person would create a stronger impact compared to it being heard in the emails as it is depicted in the book. By having this exchange happen in a private moment between the two characters, there is no way for anyone else to know that Alex said it, making the existence of the mural logically impossible.
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López believes that, despite the alterations made, the final outcome remains faithful to the essence of the novel. This is because of McQuiston’s profound affection for the book. López recounts a conversation with Casey, explaining that in order to produce the best possible movie, he had to temporarily harm Casey. López anticipated that Casey would question his sanity and fitness for the job, even wishing that someone else had been chosen to direct the film. However, López assured Casey that once they saw the movie, everything would make sense. The day López finally showed Casey the finished film and received their approval was the most fulfilling moment of their life.