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

Magic Mike is inspired by the life of Channing Tatum, when he was a stripper before becoming an actor and producer. When the project was launched in 2011, everything went well, but as soon as the casting was announced, tensions appeared. Director Steven Soderbergh chose that one of the dancers and main protagonist of the film would be played by a certain Alex Pettyfer.

Known for Number 4 and Sortilège, the actor is rather controversial. Rumors swirl about Pettyfer, including that he burned down his own house or yelled on a set when he learned that his colleagues were paid more than him. information that he will deny years later.

What is certain, however, is that when he was contacted by Soderbergh to play in Magic Mike, he was seen as a bad boy unmanageable. In 2015, Pettyfer returned to this period and the fact that his arrival did not please everyone:

Channing Tatum doesn’t like me. For many reasons, many of which are mine. I had a very negative past, whether on my films or during their promotion.

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 echoed the choice of the actor in the new film by Steven Soderbergh to embody a young dancer whom a mentor (Tatum) will train in striptease. In September, filming begins in Florida.

Warner Bros.

According to him, because of his agents telling him he’s doing everything wrong, Pettyfer lacks self-confidence and finds himself isolated on set, shooting his scenes and then putting music on his ears between takes. An isolation amplified by the fact that rumors are circulating: he thinks he is better than everyone and [préfèrerait] don’t talk to anyone.

A source testifies anonymously : “Alex acted like an ass to everyone during filming. He thinks he’s the star of the movie, not Channing or Matthew McConaughey.” Another drives the point home: “They had serious shouting matches on set, Channing thought Alex was playing divas.”

Actor Matt Bomer, who plays Ben in the film, relativize with humour : “I never witnessed any underlying tensions. But I was a little nervous having so few clothes on, so maybe I wasn’t paying attention to those [tensions]”.

Warner Bros.

But the story will get worse. After principal filming, Pettyfer lives in a New York apartment owned by friends of Tatum. Noting that the dust and mold prevent him from breathing, he leaves it and goes to live elsewhere without having paid the rent. At the same time, in his private life, one of his cousins ​​dies and this is the period that Channing Tatum chooses to write him an incendiary email:

Don’t fuck my friends. You owe money, you pay it back, fuck. Don’t play clown.

But a grieving Pettyfer decides that life is more important than a stupid debt of a few months’ rent and decides to ignore the reminder, which he will judge in retrospect as a mistake. Especially since reshoots are organized on Magic Mike and the two men have to work together again…

Warner Bros.

“[Channing] already told everyone he didn’t like me. And since he’s a movie star, everyone followed. He’s amazing, he’s done so much.”

After these reshoots again in a terrible atmosphere, comes the time to promote the film around the world. During interviews, Alex Pettyfer is often paired with Cody Horn (Brooke), and Tatum with anyone other than Pettyfer.

Years later, when Soderbergh initiates the sequel, Magic Mike XXL, Pettyfer simply won’t be called back. His character is, however, mentioned as having left Florida for Dallas with the intention of embarking on an international tour. To date, Tatum and Pettyfer have never worked together again.