UNDERCLASS ACT
The idea forThe Craft originated out
of a brainstorming session between pro-
ducer Douglas Wick andFlatliners
writer Peter Filardi before writer-
director Andrew Fleming was brought
in for a rewrite.
DOUGLAS WICK(producer) I was curi-
ous about the phenomenon of girls
marginalized in a man’s world who
suddenly come into their sexuality
and have this enormous power.
PETER FILARDI(co-writer) I remem-
ber telling [Doug] that magic is
historically a weapon of the under-
class. Our characters had to be
outsiders because real magic
requires need.
ANDREW FLEMING(co-writer/director)[The script] reminded me of my
high school experience because at
that point, movies in high school
were pink and fun and about the
prom. My recollection of high school
was that it was a lot of pressure.WITCHING HOUR
With the creative team set, the film faced
its greatest challenge: casting four young
women who would bring that high
school struggle to life (and who could
make school uniforms look rebellious). It
would take them nine months to settle on
Fairuza Balk, Robin Tunney, Neve
Campbell, and Rachel True.
FLEMING There was not a generation
of teen actors that you could draw
from at that point.
PAM DIXON(casting director) We
tested over 90 girls and went through
probably 600. Rachel [True] was the
first person cast.
RACHEL TRUE(Rochelle) I had done
one other movie as a lead. This was a
little bigger and more about the four
girls rather than [me being] the
ancillary girlfriend. I was still theblack chick who didn’t have parents
and had less to say, but I was in there,
which was different for the time.
ROBIN TUNNEY(Sarah Bailey) I had
just finishedEmpire Records and I
was bald. I think my hair had grown
out, like, an inch and my agents were
like, “They’re never going to hire you
looking this way.”
FLEMING [Robin] came in and looked
like a skinhead, but Pam said, “You
have to read this girl.” So we put her
in a wig and tested her, and she was
just so good.
TUNNEY I was testing for [Bonnie],
the role that Neve Campbell eventu-
ally played, and I was incredibly
mesmerized by Fairuza. There was a
rebellious authenticity to her that I
wish I’d had. We did the screen test
and I drove Fairuza home. She was
like, “I have a feeling this might be a
piece of s---, and I’m not doing it.”
FAIRUZA BALK(Nancy Downs)I had
agreed to doBasquiat. [Director]
Julian [Schnabel] and I had become
friends. Meanwhile, my agent said,
“There’s this other big movie and they
really want you.” I was trying to figure
out if we could move dates and then I
got a phone call from Julian screaming
at me, saying, “You’re doing another
movie!” I said, “No, I’m doing your
movie.” He hung up after cursing me
out, and I called my agents and they
said, “We acceptedThe Craft.”
DIXONThe movie was about how you
could be an outsider and be okay
with that. Fairuza was that person.
BALKI found the subject absolutely
fascinating. I started going to shops
and talking with people. I really did
study occultism, which is very fasci-
nating stuff.HOLLYWOOD’S GREATESTUNTOLD STORIES
Andrew Fleming
AGE 54
Co-writer/
director
Fleming
directed 1994’s
Threesome, starring Josh
Charles and Lara Flynn
Boyle.UP NEXT Fleming’s
next movie,Ideal Home,
stars Paul Rudd and
Steve Coogan.Peter Filardi
AGE 55
Co-writer
Filardi penned
1990’sFlatliners,
which starred
Julia Roberts and Kiefer
Sutherland.UP NEXT The
horror thrillerDay
Dreamer, which he co-
wrote with his brother,
Jason (17 Again).Pam Dixon
AGE 73
Casting director
Dixon built her
résumé by cast-
ing hits likeCity
Slickers andGoldenEye.
UP NEXTThe ex-prez of the
Casting Society of Amer-
ica completedDestina-
tion Wedding, starring
Keanu Reeves.Douglas Wick
AGE 63
Producer
Wick had pro-
duced two star-
studded Mike
Nichols films:Working
GirlandWolf.UP NEXT
Wick is working with
Shame screenwriter Abi
Morgan on the thriller
Matriarch.
( Clockwise from
far left ) Campbell,
Balk, True, and
Tunney; Tunney;
Balk; Skeet Ulrich
and Balk(PREVIOUS SPREAD) PHOTOFEST; (THIS SPREAD)
THE CRAFT
: COLUMBIA/KOBAL/REX/SHUTTER-
STOCK (3); ULRICH AND BALK: EVERETT COLLECTION; TUNNEY: MATT BARON/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK;BALK: MICHAEL TRAN/FILMMAGIC; TRUE: RICH POLK/GETTY IMAGES; TAYLOR: JONATHAN HORDLE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK; FLEMING: REBECCA SAPP/GETTY IMAGES; DIXON: VIVIEN KILLILEA/GETTYIMAGES; WICK: TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGIC