Julia Louis-Dreyfus Dealt With Overzealous Paparazzi While Filming New Movie

'You Hurt My Feelings' couldn't secure closed sets, which led to disruptions.

By John Connor Coulston - December 2, 2023 12:54 pm EST

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus loved making awards contender You Hurt My Feelings, but there was one thing that was not quite so enjoyable about the process. The A24 movie was filmed in New York City, often on city sidewalks and in public parks. Due to the movie's low budget, there was no room in the budget to pay for exclusive access to NYC areas for shooting. While that can lead to coincidentally frustrating situations with members of the public just going about their day, the Seinfeld legend had to deal with an extra factor that wasn't called for: paparazzi.

As revealed in the commentary on the You Hurt My Feelings DVD/Blu-ray, an overzealous photographer would not leave her alone as she and co-star Tobias Menzies tried to film a scene in Central Park. Louis-Dreyfus also made note of a nearby musician whom they were able to cut a deal with to leave the production be. However, it doesn't seem like peace could be made with the members of the NYC paparazzi.

Celebrity Sightings In New York – May 10, 2022 — (Photo: Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images)

"This is a low-budget picture, so we didn't have the opportunity to, as it were, 'buy' portions of Central Park for shooting," Louis-Dreyfus said. "As I recall, we had a musician playing very loud music close by. We also had some paparazzi who wanted to hang out. But the musician was playing really loudly, and we had to give him $50 to be quiet for half an hour, and when the half-an-hour was up, he started playing again. We were still shooting."

Writer/director Nicole Holofcener interjected to emphasize, "Not only paparazzi — you have a paparazzi about three feet from your face. He wouldn't go away."

Louis-Dreyfus concurred, saying, "It was a bummer." They also go on to reference the regular presence of paparazzi during other parts of the commentary, including when Louis-Dreyfus filmed one of the most emotional scenes in the film.

The duo refused to name the photographer in question. Based on images captured during the Central Park shoots, both Getty Images and Everett Collection were among the organizations that had photographers in the area around the time.

How to order You Hurt My Feelings starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus

(Photo: Lionsgate Home Entertainment / Amazon)

If this movie sounds like something you'd like to see or gift to a loved one, Amazon is offering You Hurt My Feelings right now so the movie can be in your hands in as soon as two days. Or you can purchase/rent the digital version of You Hurt My Feelings and watch it right now.

The movie is all about how an author's world is rocked when she discovers that her husband hasn't been completely honest with her when giving feedback about her new book. The cast includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, Owen Teague, Jeannie Berlin, Amber Tamblyn, David Cross and Zach Cherry.

A24, the studio behind the film, calls You Hurt My Feelings, "a sharply observed comedy ... about trust, lies, and the things we say to the people we love most."

You Hurt My Feelings is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and as a digital purchase.

Order 'You Hurt My Feelings' at Amazon

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