ABOVE: Watch the cast of The Grand Seduction on Global’s The Morning Show.
TORONTO — The journey to theatres has been a long one for The Grand Seduction, a Canadian film shot in the summer of 2012 in Newfoundland and Labrador — after a year’s delay — that had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2013.
“It seems to have legs,” noted Brendan Gleeson during an appearance Wednesday on Global’s The Morning Show.
The remake of 2003’s La grande séduction followed its TIFF debut with screenings at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax and the Calgary International Film Festival.
But it wasn’t until last Sunday that it was screened in the province where it was shot.
“It was an important one for me,” said Gleeson. “Being Irish and playing a Newfoundlander, you need to get an OK from the Newfoundlanders themselves.”
The 59-year-old Dublin-born actor got a stamp of approval.
“They seemed to really like it,” he said of the Newfoundland audience. “It went down really well.”
Co-star Mark Critch, a native Newfoundlander, also praised Gleeson.
“It’s hard to do that accent, it’s very hard,” he said. “Brendan did the best job I’ve ever seen anyone do.”
Two of the film’s other stars — Taylor Kitsch and Liane Balaban — had fond memories of working in Newfoundland.
“It’s so amazing and beautiful,” Balaban gushed. “Such a special place. It’s really seductive on its own.”
Kitsch, who has starred in big-budget Hollywood flicks like John Carter and Battleship, said it was refreshing to make a Canadian movie.
“You always want to switch it up,” the 33-year-old Kelowna, B.C. native said. “I don’t go and look for $250 million budget movies. This was kind of a no-brainer.”
Kitsch said he loved the script and was thrilled “to work with these guys and just have fun and be in Newfoundland.”
He added: “It was a blast and it turned out great so we’re all proud of it.”
The Grand Seduction opens May 30.
Comments