This past summer, moviegoers were able to take in the massive sights and sounds of a major 2024 movie release -- Twisters, which surpassed expectations at the box office and earned positive reviews. It turned out to be a fun sequel, though we can’t forget that its predecessor, 1996’s Twister, set the tone. Part of what made that film so great were the performances of actors like Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Interestingly, Hunt just revealed something she helped keep out of the script, and I’m glad she stuck to her guns.
Helen Hunt played the role of storm chaser Jo Harding in Jan de Bont’s classic blockbuster and, amid the events of the film, she was going through a divorce from Bill (Bill Paxton). That situation becomes a bit stickier due to the presence of Bill’s fiancée, Dr. Melissa Reeves (played by Jami Gertz). Jo and Melissa manage to stay civil amid the awkward situation though, according to Hunt, the screenplay initially called for them to be a bit more “catty”:
There’s very few things I take credit for in this movie, because it is so much bigger than me. But that I will take some credit for, because there were some things in the script where I’m a little catty with her, she is with me, and we looked at each other and said, 'I don’t want to see it.' It was the two of us who went, 'That’s not the way to get an audience to want to watch these two women.'
Over the years, a number of intriguing behind-the-scenes Twister facts have been revealed by the cast and crew. Now, I’m marking down this latest gem, which Helen Hunt shared at Rhode Island Comic Con (via People) as one of my favorites. There have been plenty of movies and TV shows that have taken advantage of the “warring women” trope, and it’s become played out. I’m glad that both Hunt and Jami Gertz stood firm in steering away from that plot thread and, thanks to them, the interactions between Melissa and Jo feel nuanced.
While chatting at the convention, the As Good as It Gets star gushed about her co-stars, even discussing the chemistry between herself and the late, great Bill Paxton. The Oscar-winning actress also gave props to Jami Gertz for her turn as Melissa. While hyping up Gertz, the Mad About You veteran noted the difficulty associated with her co-star’s portrayal of the somewhat stuffy sex therapist:
She’s playing someone who’s such a drag. And is asking all the boring questions and doesn’t want to get her suit dirty. Her doing that makes me look cool, so, you know, I owe it — a lot of it — to her.
It’s sweet to hear the Emmy winner share such praise for her scene partner, and it’s true that as much as Helen Hunt played off Bill Paxton well, she also played out a great, foil-centric dynamic with Jami Gertz. What I just can’t get over is the fact that Gertz and Hunt were able to advocate for themselves to ensure that their characters didn’t come off as enemies. There’s already so much I enjoy about the beloved blockbuster and, moving forward, I’ll keep this lovely BTS detail in mind whenever I watch it.
Twister is currently available to buy or rent on Amazon. Also, starting on November 15, Twisters will be available for anyone with a Peacock subscription to stream.
