The Normal Heart - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[discussimdb]

Fan of The Normal Heart or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to The Normal Heart

[caroline]

Matt Bomer was determined not to watch Philadelphia (1993) while working, because he didn't want to be even slightly influenced by Tom Hanks' performance. Oddly enough, while he was taking the month off to lose the weight the role required, he was at his New York City apartment watching television and Philadelphia (1993) showed up. He was so tired, that he decided to watch the movie.

[gerald]

Filming had to be delayed on July 15, 2013, so Jonathan Groff could be with his best friend Lea Michele after the death of her boyfriend, Glee (2009) co-star Cory Monteith. Glee (2009) was created and produced by Ryan Murphy.

[duane]

Director of Photography Daniel Moder (credited as Danny Moder) is married to Julia Roberts (Dr. Emma Brookner).

[marc]

Alec Baldwin was originally cast as Ben Weeks.

[scarlett]

The original off-Broadway production of "The Normal Heart" opened in April 1985 at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, a.k.a. LuEsther Hall. The cast included: Phillip Richard Allen (Ben Weeks); David Allen Brooks (Bruce Niles); Brad Davis (Ned Weeks); William DeAcutis (Tommy Boatwright); Robert Dorfman (Mickey Marcus); Lawrence Lott (David/Hiram Keebler/Examining Doctor/Orderly); D.W. Moffett (Felix Turner); Michael Santoro (Craig Donner/Grady/Orderly); and Concetta Tomei (Dr. Emma Brookner). The Director was Michael Lindsay-Hogg.

[jessica]

The title of the play and the movie comes from a line in W.H. Auden's poem "September 1, 1939".

[beth]

Features American Horror Story (2011) alumni Denis O'Hare, Matt Bomer, and Finn Wittrock. Ryan Murphy is one of the Creators of the show.

[cassandra]

On June 26, 2013, the day of filming the fundraiser dance, Larry Kramer was in attendance. That became the day that D.O.M.A. was overturned, marking a momentous advancement for gay rights. As a celebration broke out, Larry Kramer grabbed the microphone and said "We did it!"

[frederick]

Matt Bomer was so physically weak from his weight loss, that he would just sit or lie in one spot between takes, because it took too much energy to move, and at times he even needed help getting up.

[manuel]

Matt Bomer said that as he lost weight and got weaker, his desire to live and appreciation for life grew, so that's exactly how he played the role of Felix.

[janice]

During the film, one character refers to the London plague traced to a pump. The Great (Bubonic) Plague of London occurred in 1665-66 was caused by rats. The "pump"referenced caused the Cholera outbreak in 1854 in London.

[jeffrey]

THIS IS A MAJOR SPOILER ! ! ! At the end of the film, after the Yale Gay Week dance scene, two Rolodex cards are shown being removed by Tommy and added to his pile of the deceased who died of HIV/AIDS. Among the cards removed are Bella's (the heavyset, bearded man) and Bruce's (the blond man who was dating Albert), two of the major characters working for the Gay Men's Health Crisis, implying that both men have passed away since 1984.

[kim]

Stephen Spinella and BD Wong also appeared in And the Band Played On (1993), another HBO film with a story about the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s.

[lynn]

Denis O'Hare also appears in Dallas Buyers Club (2013), another AIDS themed movie.