The fact-based Peter Farrelly feature has faced criticism from the family of one of its subjects, but close friends now champion the film.
Hot off a trio of Golden Globe wins and a raft of guild nominations this week, the “Green Book” team continued on the awards season trail with a Wednesday afternoon stop at Manhattan restaurant Patsy’s for a lunch and Q&A hosted by actor Daniel Craig. Located less than half a block from Carnegie Hall, the former home of “Green Book” subject Dr. Donald Shirley (portrayed by Golden Globes winner Mahershala Ali), the event included unannounced special guests in the form of the jazz pianist and composer’s real-life friends and protegés.
The awards campaign for any biographical film benefits from the support of those who knew the subject, but for the embattled “Green Book,” it’s essential. The film, which follows Shirley and former bouncer Tony “Lip” Vallelonga (Golden Globes and SAG nominee Viggo Mortensen) as they embark on a working road trip through the racially divided Deep South of the 1960s, broke out at as any early Oscars frontrunner after a stellar premiere (and People’s Choice Award win) at TIFF in September, but has been plagued by controversies in the intervening months.
Read More:‘Green Book’ Wins Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy Film Most notably, members of Shirley’s family hit back at the film for its portrayal of Shirley’s relationship with his relatives during the trip with Vallelonga. In December, Shirley’s nephew, Edwin Shirley III, and brother, Maurice Shirley, called out the film, telling Shadow and Act that the film was “rather jarring,” “very hurtful,” and “a symphony of lies.” Moreover, some family members claimed that Shirley and Vallelonga were never friends after their fateful trip. Another shocking claim from the family: Shirley never even wanted to have a film made based on his life. Edwin said when “Green Book” screenwriter Nick Vallelonga, Tony’s son, approached Shirley three decades ago about making a movie, Shirley rebuffed him. However, at Wednesday’s event, Vallelonga told the packed house that he interviewed both his father and Shirley “many, many times” about their trip and relationship. “Green Book” Universal Pictures “I got [Shirley’s] blessing of what I was allowed to put in and what he didn’t want me to put in,” Vallelonga said. There’s a lot of things, like, ‘Why’s it more about [Vallelonga]?’ It’s not what [Shirley] wanted, he allowed me to tell the story of my father and him on the road. There might have been other things in his life that maybe he was saving for his own book or film, but he just said, ‘Tell the story of when we’re together.’ … He had asked me to not do anything until he had passed away.”
