Woody Allen’s weird rule on set exposed by Michael Sheen

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Michael Sheen has revealed that director Woody Allen has a weird rule on set that made it difficult for him to find out anything about Midnight in Paris when he was starring in it.

The actor starred alongside the likes of Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams in the 2011 rom-com, which was directed by Allen.

As any viewer of the film knows, time travel is a pretty key plot point – but for ages while filming, Michael had no idea as he wasn’t allowed to read the whole script.

‘He didn’t let us read all the script, so I only read the scenes that I was in,’ he recalled. ‘It’s a film about time travel but because my character was in the modern day, I didn’t know we were doing a film about time travel.’

He added during an clip of an upcoming episode of There’s Something About Movies, shared exclusively with Metro.co.uk: ‘I bumped into the actress Marion Cotillard in the build-up to doing the film, before we started filming, and I’d heard that she was in the film.

‘I’d never met her before and I said, “Excuse me, big fan. I believe we’re going to be in the same film together.” I said, “What are you playing?” She said, “I’m playing Picasso’s first wife.” I was like, “Oh no, I’m not in that. Different film.”‘

Midnight in Paris, which also saw Tom Hiddleston appear as F Scott Fitzgerald, follows a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.

Previously opening up about the film and his character Paul Bates, Michael told Collider: ‘I remember Woody wrote me a card and said, “This is the ultimate pedant. I think you could have fun with him.”

‘Unfortunately, I didn’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface of myself to find my inner know-it-all and release it for the film. It was great to be able to play someone who’s just absolutely got no sense that he’s overstepping the mark or that he’s being a bore. It was good fun..’

Meanwhile, Michael has teamed up with Alan Carr, Jennifer Saunders, and Tom Allen for the new series of There’s Something About Movies, with the Chatty Man star quizzing some of the UK’s favourite actors about movies.

Of course, some A-list goss is revealed along the way, with Alan telling Metro.co.uk about some wild Madonna tales that are set to be revealed. Consider us intrigued.

There’s Something About Movies airs on Thursday at 9pm on Sky One and NOW

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