Here is some juicy trivia about the Shotgun Wedding movie and cast! Streaming on Amazon Prime, this is a different kind of rom-com. It’s also an action-adventure flick. Mystery, gore, flying hair extensions and all.
But it’s also packed with laughs and “Awwww!” happy moments.
Starring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, Shotgun Wedding’s plot will definitely make you tilt and head and say, “I didn’t have that situation on my rom-com Bingo card…”
The plot
Think Romancing the Stone meets My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The movie kicks off with Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (Duhamel) – A happy couple joyfully set to marry on a tropical island with all of their family in tow. Not only their extended and blended families, but even Darcy’s sexy ex-fiance, Sean (Lenny Kravitz).
The wedding does not go at all as planned, thanks to an infiltration of island pirates with a secret agenda.
My thoughts
I know reviews have been mixed on Shotgun Wedding, but I really enjoyed it. I literally LOL’d out loud a few times because the action was laced with an abundance of physical comedy. It is a super cute film for guys and chicas.
Will it nab an award nomination? No.
But it will be one of those comfort films to enjoy.
When I think of JLo and this project, I can see her saying something like, “I want to do an action film!” and this is what they came up with. It is the best of both worlds for her. A romantic comedy, but also making her push her comfort zone and become an action heroine.
And what I love is she is a clumsy, kooky heroine. She did a good job dialing up the camp in this one.
If you love JLo, rom-coms, multi-cultural ensemble casts, – you gotta give this one a watch!
The cast
If anything, you have to watch because of the cast – such a fun collections of our faves. Jennifer Coolidge plays Tom’s mom and does not disappoint. There is also Cheech Marin and Sonja Braga! And hello? Lenny Kravitz!
All of them do their part to bounce up energy and keep us giggling.
Juicy trivia about the Shotgun Wedding movie and cast
Okay, finally! This is the super fun part. I participated in round table interviews with the cast and learned a lot of behind-the-scenes details. Plus, I did some extra digging to find these gems for you.
Shotgun Wedding has so many layers to it, I had a lot of burning questions. So let’s get into it!
Jlo went through 28 wedding dresses for the film.
According to Page Six, costume designer Galia Lahav created twenty-eight copies of the dress in different stages for shooting. And she made them all in a month. Each dress had to be modified to fit each scene. From rips, tears, all of it.
In the press interview, Lopez explained how each dress was meaningful to her as the actress and for the character.
“The dress itself was a character,” she said. “It represented what Darcy was going through. It started cumbersome – not her style at all. And as she opened up about her true feelings to Tom and peeling back the layers, the dress began to shed. She stepped into her power and the pieces started coming off. Even the hair extensions.
The cast lived together for eight weeks in the DR.
Shotgun Wedding was shot in spring of 2021, still in the middle of COVID. Therefore the cast was forced to live together in the Dominican Republic during filming. Director Jason Moore (also known for Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2)said that had a factor in who he selected for the roles.
“It was a challenge because they needed to be good actors, know comedy, perform physical comedy, and be free for eight weeks of filming on an island.” He compared it to a summer camp, even dorms.
The closeness only made the cast bond more. Callie Hernandez, who plays Darcy’s sister, said their area had a little theater, so the cast would watch each other’s movies, and then quiz each other about them.
Jennifer Coolidge was a runaway train.
@jennifercoolidge Trying out TikTok! 💋👀 @jlo ♬ Jenny from the Block (Bronx Remix – Edit) – Jennifer Lopez
That’s according to director, Moore. He said her comical ad libs were hysterical and there were times when they had to call “cut” because his chuckles could be heard on camera. Kravitz chimed in and agreed that he cracked up in the middle of shooting, even breaking character, because of her one-liners.
JLo and Josh Duhamel had their own weddings during the making of this film.
Josh married Audra Mari and joked that his wedding experience was opposite different from his character of Tom.
In the film, Tom goes to great crafty lengths to make the wedding day perfect for Darcy. Even recreating Pinterest pineapple centerpieces!
But in real life, his fiancé did all the heavy lifting and the little magical touches came as a surprise to him.
As far as Bennifer…JLo said the huge wedding production for the film could have subliminally taken the edge off her need for a big wedding to Ben Affleck. The couple opted for a Vegas escape.
Cheech cooked tacos for everyone.
The cast chatted about how Cheech has been meditating daily for forty years and didn’t stop because of his experience. Co-star Steve Coulter confirmed that and even admitted they both took a nap every single day.
Cheech was also known for wearing different colors of “weed socks” every day on set. Kravitz even joked how one of the highlights of the experience was when he lovingly cooked tacos for everyone.
Shotgun Wedding is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Let me know if you watch it and what you think!
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