Jesse Eisenbergwas very purposeful in the casting of his latest hit film,A Real Pain. A buddy comedy-dramaabout two very different cousinswho embark on a Holocaust tour in Poland in honor of their late grandmother and, in turn, confront their own tensions with each other, the movie takes inspiration from the Oscar nominee’s family history, even using his great aunt’s childhood home as a filming location. To ensure it properly captureda feeling of remembrance through a modern angle, he also brought in other actors who would be natural fits for the tour group, with the most important casting beingKieran Culkinas his character’s cousin Benji. However, during a self-moderated Q&A at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, he shared that he almost reeled in another big name to play a crucial member of the group, the Rwandan Genocide survivor, Eloge.
In the film, Eloge is played byKurt Egyiawan, who sports a strong resume in his own right. He’s previously taken up prominent roles inJeremy Slater’sThe Exorcistseries as well as more recent shows likeHouse of the Dragon,Kaos, andThe Agency. Eisenberg even consulted his real friend, whom he based Eloge on,to ensure the final choice he made honored his history and the Rwandan culture. Before Egyiawan was ever considered, however, the director’s main target wasNcuti Gatwa, better known as the Fifteenth Doctor onDoctor Who. Things very nearly worked out to have Gatwa join the tour group in Poland until the TARDIS came calling for the Time Lord and sent Eisenberg back to the drawing board:
“With Kurt, I tried to cast a Rwandan actor. The only Rwandan actor we met with was this brilliant guy, Ncuti Gatwa. He’s the current Doctor Who, and he was going to do the movie, but then Doctor Who’s schedule changed and so we lost him. And so we were looking for a Rwandan actor, it was really hard to find a Rwandan actor. Kurt’s family is Cameroonian and, at that point, I turned it over to Eloge, the real Eloge, and said ‘Can you help me cast this so this feels respectful to your culture?'”
‘A Real Pain’ Soared With Its Stellar Cast
In the end, the filmstill managed to soarwith the excellent stars it had in tow. Egyiawan was just one member of the tour that helped flesh outA Real Pain’schaotic trip of remembrance and reconciliation. The rest of the supporting cast featuredWill Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Liza Sadovy, andDaniel Oreskes. Each helped contribute to what is widely considered one of the best films of the year with a solid $9.3 million haul at the box office against a budget of only $3 million. Collider’sTaylor Gatesgave ita 9/10 in her review, saying “Eisenberg knocks it out of the park and proves he is a triple threat to be reckoned with, with solid writing, confident directing, and stellar acting — even if, at the end of the day, the film really does belong to Culkin.”
Despite all the praise for the film, Gatwa is hardly feeling any pain for missing out onA Real Pain. He’s still going strong inDoctor Who, recently bringing “Joy to the World” witha new Christmas special oppositeNicola Coughlanthathas been thriving on Disney+. Now, the focus is on Season 2 of his tenure,which is set to begin next year, though an exact date has yet to be announced. Also on the horizon for the three-time BAFTA nomineeisJay Roach’sThe Roses, astar-studded remake ofDanny DeVito’sThe War of the Rosesfeaturing, among others,Olivia Colman,Benedict Cumberbatch,Kate McKinnon, andAndy Samberg.
A Real Painis now available on digital platforms and is expected to arrive soon on Hulu.
A Real Pain
Two cousins travel to Poland after their grandmother’s death to see where they came from and end up joining a Holocaust tour.
Watch on Prime Video
