Magic Mike on Arte: Why was the atmosphere rotten on the set?

Magic Mike is inspired by Channing Tatum’s life as a stripper before becoming an actor and producer. When the project started in 2011, everything went well, but as soon as the casting was announced, tensions began to appear. Director Steven Soderbergh chose a certain Alex Pettyfer to play one of the film’s dancers and main character.

Famous for Number 4 and Sortilège, the actress is quite controversial. Rumors swirl about Pettyfer, including that he burned down his own house or screamed on set when he heard his colleagues were being paid more than him. information that it denies after years.

What is certain, however, is that when he was approached by Soderbergh to star in Magic Mike, he was viewed as bad boy Unruly. In 2015, Pettyfer returned to this period, and the fact that his arrival did not please everyone:

I don’t like Channing Tatum. For many reasons, many of which are my own. I have had a very negative past, be it on my films or promoting them.

And Channing Tatum, being a very smart businessman, I think he probably didn’t want to clash with Steven, and that’s how I was cast.

On May 12, 2011, the American press repeated the choice of the actor in the new film. Steven Soderbergh to portray a young dancer who will be trained by a mentor (Tatum) in a striptease. Filming begins in September in Florida.

She says that because her agents tell her she’s doing everything wrong, Pettyfer lacks confidence and isolates herself on set, filming her scenes and then blasting music in her ears between takes. Isolation is reinforced by the fact that rumors spread: he thinks he’s the best and doesn’t talk to anyone.

The source testifies anonymously : “Alex treated everyone like an ass on set. He thinks he’s the star of the movie, not Channing or Matthew McConaughey.” Another illustrates the point at home: “They had a serious row on set, Channing thought Alex was playing a diva.”

Actor Matt Bomer, who plays Ben in the film, Relativization with humor: “I never experienced any tension. But I was a bit nervous with so many clothes on, so maybe I wasn’t paying attention to that.”

But the story gets worse. After principal photography, Pettyfer lives in an apartment owned by Tatum’s friends in New York. He mentions that the dust and mold prevent him from breathing, leaves him and goes to live elsewhere without paying the rent. Meanwhile, in his personal life, one of his cousins ​​dies, and this is when Channing Tatum chooses to write him an incendiary email:

Don’t beat my friends. I owe you money, you pay it back, dammit. Don’t play the clown.

But a saddened Pettyfer decides that life is more important than a stupid debt in the form of a few months’ rent and decides to ignore the reminder, which he will judge as a mistake. Especially since the filming of Magic Mike is getting ready and the two men have to work together again…

“He’s already told everyone he doesn’t love me. And because he’s a movie star, everyone followed him. He’s incredible, he’s been so successful.”

After this shooting again in a scary atmosphere, it is time to promote the film all over the world. In interviews, Alex Pettyfer is often paired with Cody Horne (Brooke) and Tatum with someone other than Pettyfer.

Years later, when Soderbergh begins the sequel, Magic Mike XXL, Pettyfer simply won’t be called upon again. However, her character is mentioned to have moved from Florida to Dallas with the intention of embarking on an international tour. To date, Tatum and Pettyfer have never worked together again.