Bryce Dallas Howard calls playing Joaquin Phoenix’s love interest a dream come true

Sometimes life has a funny way of making childhood dreams come true, and Bryce Dallas Howard has a story that perfectly proves it.

On a recent episode of the Podcrushed podcast, the actress opened up about one of the most unforgettable chapters in her career.

She revisited her breakout role in The Village, the 2004 psychological thriller by M. Night Shyamalan, and shared how surreal it was to star opposite the actor she had admired since she was a child, Joaquin Phoenix.

Let’s just say, things got a little dreamy on set.

Childhood Crush Comes Full Circle

Bryce didn’t hold back while chatting with host Penn Badgley and his co-hosts. She revealed that her feelings for Joaquin Phoenix started way back in her childhood.

“I had the biggest crush on Joaquin Phoenix when I was seven years old, and he was Leaf Phoenix, and he was in Parenthood,” she confessed.

Can you imagine being cast in your first big movie role and learning that your co-star is the very person who made your heart flutter as a kid? That’s exactly what happened to her, and she handled it with a great sense of humor.

“And it was insane being like, ‘Oh, you want me to play a character who’s been in love with this guy, like, her whole life? Sure,” she said, laughing.

According to Bryce, it wasn’t exactly a challenge. She jokingly added that crushing on people while on set wasn’t new territory for her. In fact, she admitted that she already had a history of being smitten on film sets.

Another Crush on Another Set

Turns out, Joaquin wasn’t her only youthful movie set crush. When she was just a tween working behind the scenes on Apollo 13, a film directed by her father, Ron Howard, Bryce found herself head over heels again.

She had her eye on someone unexpected: Colin Hanks, who was working as a production assistant at the time.

There’s something so relatable about Bryce’s teenage movie set daydreams. Most of us can only imagine what it’s like to grow up around the movie industry, but it sounds like she found those experiences every bit as exciting and awkward as anyone would.

The Village Was a Career-Defining Moment

Bryce described working on The Village as an incredibly meaningful experience. The film itself was set in a secluded 19th-century community surrounded by forest creatures and strict rules.

Joaquin played Lucius, a bold and quiet member of the village who ultimately falls in love with Bryce’s character, Ivy.

While the storyline was intense and eerie, the actual experience of filming it was something she remembers fondly.

“That was very magical,” she said about her time on set.

And the people around her made it even more special.

“It was an unbelievable group of people,” she recalled, referring to her castmates, which included big names like Adrien Brody and Sigourney Weaver alongside Phoenix.

While such a talented ensemble could daunt any newcomer, Bryce found it deeply inspiring rather than overwhelming.

Shyamalan Took a Chance on Her

Bryce wasn’t yet a household name when The Village came her way. In fact, she had been mostly doing stage work in New York. But everything changed when Shyamalan happened to catch one of her performances.

The director saw her in a production of As You Like It at the Public Theater. That one role led to another, a much bigger one.

“That was a very, I mean, incredibly courageous of Night to cast me,” she said, reflecting on his decision. “And he was really supportive.”

That one bold choice by Shyamalan gave her the opportunity to not only work on a major film but to do it alongside someone she had admired for most of her life. For any actor, especially a newcomer, that kind of support and trust can make all the difference.

A Wholesome Hollywood Memory

Hollywood is full of glitz, drama, and fast-paced career turns. But every now and then, you get a story like Bryce’s, one that feels a bit like a movie in itself.

A young girl crushes on a teen star, grows up around movie sets, and eventually lands her breakout role playing his love interest. It’s something out of a rom-com, only it’s real life.

Bryce Dallas Howard’s career has since grown by leaps and bounds. She’s starred in massive blockbusters, taken on directing projects, and carved out her own legacy in the industry. But it’s refreshing to hear her speak with such genuine excitement about those early, magical moments.

From secretly swooning on set to feeling empowered by a director’s faith in her talent, her memories from The Village are a reminder that sometimes, even in Hollywood, dreams do come true.

TL;DR

• Bryce Dallas Howard appeared on the Podcrushed podcast and talked about her breakout role in The Village.
• She revealed she had a childhood crush on Joaquin Phoenix when he was known as Leaf Phoenix in Parenthood.
• Bryce found it “insane” that her first film role required her to play someone in love with her real-life crush.
• She joked that crushing on people on set was common for her, even admitting she once had a crush on Colin Hanks during Apollo 13 filming.
• Bryce described her experience on The Village as “very magical” and praised the star-studded cast, including Adrien Brody and Sigourney Weaver.
• Director M. Night Shyamalan cast her after seeing her in As You Like It, calling it a “career-defining moment” for her.
• She expressed gratitude for Shyamalan’s support, saying he took a courageous chance on her.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.