Thanks to darkness for the heads up.
EW has learned that Julianna Margulies (Alicia Florrick) and Archie Panjabi (Kalinda Sharma) did not shoot the bar scene together for last Sunday’s season finale. The bittersweet moment between the two on-and-off-again friends not only signaled that Kalinda was leaving Alicia’s life forever, but it also marked Archie Panjabi’s last episode on the show. Panjabi told EW that as early as two years ago that she intended to leave the drama at the end of her six-year deal.
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So, when the scene started and Kalinda slid over to Alicia’s side at the bar — a familiar meeting spot for the former drinking buddies — I literally got up off the couch and moved closer to the TV. It was happening. The two characters — and more importantly, the two actresses — were in the same scene together. And they were saying everything I needed to hear. It was magical. I was elated. They did it.
I immediately started tweeting things like “OMG” and “Worth the wait.” The possibility that we were being conned didn’t dawn on me for a second until I started reading comments from TVLine readers, many of whom expressed suspicion about the scene’s inconsistent lighting. And the fact that neither actress ever touched. And that their faces couldn’t be made out in the over-the-shoulder shots. Alicia's POVAnd that Margulies appeared never to look directly at Panjabi.
I initially laughed it off as conspiracy-theory hoo-ha. They filmed the scene together — or at the very least agreed to shoot the two-shot portion of the scene together — and that was that.
Until it wasn’t.
Margulies and Panjabi did not shoot that scene together, I have come to learn. Body doubles were employed for the single shots, and the two-shot was spliced together in post-production.
(A CBS spokesperson declined to comment for this story, while reps for Margulies and Panjabi could not be reached.)
I immediately started tweeting things like “OMG” and “Worth the wait.” The possibility that we were being conned didn’t dawn on me for a second until I started reading comments from TVLine readers, many of whom expressed suspicion about the scene’s inconsistent lighting. And the fact that neither actress ever touched. And that their faces couldn’t be made out in the over-the-shoulder shots. Alicia's POVAnd that Margulies appeared never to look directly at Panjabi.
I initially laughed it off as conspiracy-theory hoo-ha. They filmed the scene together — or at the very least agreed to shoot the two-shot portion of the scene together — and that was that.
Until it wasn’t.
Margulies and Panjabi did not shoot that scene together, I have come to learn. Body doubles were employed for the single shots, and the two-shot was spliced together in post-production.
(A CBS spokesperson declined to comment for this story, while reps for Margulies and Panjabi could not be reached.)
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Still enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThey must really, really hate each other.
ReplyDeleteThat makes me wonder what the hell happened that they couldn't be professionals enough to shoot just one last scene together.
ReplyDeleteI don't even watch the show but I'm curious as to what happened between the two of them
ReplyDeleteIt's really disappointing that these two couldn't put their differences aside for one last scene.
ReplyDeleteIt's still highly unprofessional behaviour...
ReplyDeleteVery unprofessional.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of rumors, been circling for a few years now. i thought they were just that, rumors but I'm inclined to believe them now. Apparently Julianna was annoyed at all the attention and critical acclaim Archie got in earlier seasons. And basically made Archie's life on set really difficult. They haven't shared a scene together since mid S4. And it started to become very obvious because there were plot reasons why they would be in a scene together and yet they always made it so Kalinda phoned Alicia instead.
ReplyDeleteWell that was damn obvious. I will say the whole business between Julianna and Archie has left a bad taste in my mouth. I used to think the Alicia/Kalinda shippers were just upset that the characters weren't friends anymore or shared scenes but then it became so damn obvious that something was definitely up. Like after Will died, that really should have been when Alicia and Kalinda put aside their differences and mourned together along with Diane. But it never happened. And Cary going to prison, again they should have been working close together and it never happened.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that whatever real life issue has happened behind the scene has impacted the show the way it has and made that scene on Sunday not the moment fans have been waiting for but a joke.
what happened to professionalism? Now I have deep respect for Ian and Nina.
ReplyDeleteThis is so unprofessional. They could have just shot the shots where the both appear together, and have body doubles for over the shoulder shots. It would have taken them a few hours of working together and that's it.
ReplyDeleteNow that it's been confirmed, I can't wait to see if any of them is going to at least address the issue. But I'm very disappointed, I don't watch the show but I thought highly of Julianna Margulies.
They are the new Alyssa Milano/Shannen Doherty ( and we still don't know what really happened )
ReplyDeleteI thought it was obvious, scene felt fake. Now that Kalinda is gone I am too. Dunno what went on between them but I'm team Archie as both Gillian Anderson & Kelli Giddish has said she's a joy to work with. Bye TGW.
ReplyDelete