Martin Scorsese had “notes” for ‘The Studio’ scene but “didn’t want to be a backseat director”

The makers behind The Studio have revealed that Martin Scorsese had a “note” for them on set – although he “didn’t wanna be a backseat director”.

The legendary director is one of a number of famous faces that cameos as themselves in the Apple TV+ comedy series, which centres on the Hollywood studio system.

In the opening episode, Scorsese pitches a script about the Jonestown massacre to Seth Rogen‘s studio head Matt Remick, and under an obligation to make a franchise film based on the Kool-Aid Man, he decides to buy it.

However, after pushback, Remick later claims to the CEO that he bought the screenplay to kill it, and later delivers the news to the director that his film won’t be made and that he cannot shop it anywhere else, causing Scorsese to break down in tears at a party hosted by Charlize Theron.

Speaking to People, show co-creator Alex Gregory revealed that Scorsese did have “one note” to give them behind the cameras, “but he didn’t give it until later”.

“There was a moment where him and Charlize Theron were whispering to each other, and it took like 10 takes to get the shot,” Evan Goldberg added. “And then we got it and I was like, ‘What were you whispering about?’

“He was like, ‘I knew you were doing this wrong, but I didn’t wanna be a backseat director, so I just didn’t say anything.’ And I was like, ‘Well, we could have used that time, but I appreciate that you didn’t wanna manhandle us’.”

Goldberg also revealed that Jonah Hill was a big reason why Scorsese agreed to do the film, notably after starring in the director’s The Wolf Of Wall Street.

“I got the feeling he dropped in a good word for us and that might’ve helped it happen,” he added.

Meanwhile, the show’s creators have revealed that the likes of Zendaya, James Cameron and Leonardo DiCaprio are on their hitlist for cameos for the show in season two.

In NME‘s five-star review of The Studio, we said: “There’s a genuine love for the film business hidden under all the in-jokes and it’s that passion that keeps The Studio from feeling like cheap satire, even if the real message is just how flimsy the whole industry is. Now, does Apple have the guts to fund a second season?”