Role Play, starring Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, has had an interesting production. With principal filming taking place in Germany, and scheduling conflicts forcing major actors to be recast, it was not a smooth ride to get the film from a spec script to a fully-fledged feature. Now the movie is streaming on Prime Video, we’ve compiled everything we know about the production.
Where was Role Play filmed?
Role Play was filmed entirely in and around the vibrant and exciting German city of Berlin. Establishing shots and b-roll feature the Berlin streets and neighborhoods, and there are a few landmarks that you can spot including the Fernsehturm television tower, also featured briefly in the trailer, and The Brandenberg Gate. Social media posts of David Oyelowo also show him having a lark on location in Berlin, but where were the studio sets based?
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Much of the studio work was done, according to Wikipedia, at the Babelsberg Studio in Berlin. You can find the well-known studio at Potsdam-Babelsberg, and the studio is well renowned for its status as being the second oldest large-scale studio in the world.
Who produced and directed Role Play?
The named producers on the flick were Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona. One of the stars of Role Play, Kaley Cuoco, is also on board with production duties.
Directing the action-adventure is Thomas Vincent, a French director with some select work in his back catalog including Mister Bob in 2011, The Hook from 2004, and Karnaval in 1999. Karnaval was entered into the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and went home with the respected Alfred Bauer Prize.
Production Timeline of Role Play
- Studio Canal and The Picture Company announced back in 2020 that they had received the rights to Role Play and a spec script by Seth Owen was produced.
- By July 2021, interest had arisen from Kaley Cuoco, who as well as starring in the feature would also be able to produce it.
- In October of the same year, the film attracted the attention of director Thomas Vincent, and a release would confirm that Cuoco was fixed in place as a producer and lead in the movie. Cuoco’s own production company Yes, Norman Productions was named.
- Casting continued into 2022, with David Oyelowo named in June as Cuoco’s husband.
- By July of 2022, the principal photography began at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin.
- Role Play was released on Prime Video in the U.S. and other international territories on January 12, 2024.
Was there a recasting for a major character in the movie?
The mysterious stranger that drifts into the couple’s life is played by Charles Paris voice actor and UK national treasure Bill Nighy, but the role was supposed to have been taken by Billy Bob Thornton. However, in July 2022, Thornton was not able to commit to the role due to other filming requirements, and Nighy was quickly engaged to take over. A good choice.
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