Main role of Antonia in Cari genitori by Enrico Maria Salerno (released 1973-2-9 Italy).
[BuetJ] Maria Schneider considers a role in Indian Summer by Zurlini.
1972-02 till -04: filming of Last Tango in Paris, by Bertolucci, main role of ‘the girl’.
[CV4Ub] Bernardo Bertolucci is preparing Last Tango in Paris. His actors: Jane Fonda and Jean-Louis
Trintignant. At the time Bertolucci is one of the most prestigious directors in Europe, one doesn’t
refuse a role in a film by Bertolucci! Exept Jean-Louis Trintignant! He refuses the role, politely but
firmly, because he is not at ease with the nudity. Bertolucci does not yet know that Jane Fonda too
will literally let him eat his scenario! In fact, nobody wants to do his film! Delon declines,
Belmondo laughs him in the face, Deneuve evades, Natalie Wood doesn’t even answer!
At last one of the producers, on the verge of abandoning the film, dreams of Marlon Brando. Why
Brando? How? Mystery.
The mythic actor of the 50s reached the rock bottom of his fame. Nobody in Hollywood wants him
anymore, not even to spread the sandwiches. They stake on what is left from his reputation in the
eyes of the Europeans. They offer him the role, he accepts.
Soon Brando embarks for Paris, things accellerate and Bertolucci still does not have his actress. It
will be Maria Schneider, 19 years old, available.
[BuetJ] “It was by a mere fluke. I was very close with Dominique Sanda. She was going to do the film
with Jean-Louis Trintignant, but she was pregnant. She had a big photo of the two of us. Bertolucci
saw it. He let me do a casting. I read the scenario, which I did not understand at once. I did not like
to do it, but everyone said: ‘What, with Brando...’ I hesitated until the last moment, because I
wanted to do a film of Zurlini, with Delon and dancer Sonia Petrovna.”
[Chtn] The thought of being presented to Brando made her crazy with panic. “It was he who came to me
on the stage. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me! He took me in his arms and said:
‘Come on, don’t be afraid. We are going to shoot for two months together, but that will pass very
well, you’ll see...”
[Kraft] ... Brando asked her what her astrological sign is on the first day of shooting, and seemed relieved
upon learning it was the same as his--Aries.
In Tango Schneider appears nude in several scenes. In one, Brando puts butter into her anus and has (fake)
anal sex with her. Apparently, it was not in the script, it was an idea Brando and Bertolucci got that very
morning, and Maria was not informed in advance.
[Chtn] After the shooting of the ‘butter scene’ she hid herself in her appartment and cried all night like a child.
1972-03-27 her 20th birthday [Das] she receives flowers from an unknown admirer (probably Brando).
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