Much Ado About Nothing

Top 10 Fun Facts

1. The film is set in the Sicilian city of Messina, but was actually filmed in the central Italian region of Chianti. As far as we know, no cast members' livers were consumed with a side of fava beans.
2. Though it didn't quite achieve the runaway success of Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet, Kenneth Branagh's adaptation raked in $36 million worldwide-making it one of the most financially successful Shakespeare films ever. If it were to be released today, its box office numbers would surely elicit an immediate sequel: Much Ado 2: Claudio's Revenge.
3. Much Ado About Nothing marked the film debut of Kate Beckinsale. Gazing upon her dewy, innocent eyes, it's easy to see she had no idea that in ten short years she'd be playing a vampire in love with a werewolf.
4. Beckinsale actually shot Much Ado About Nothing while on her summer break studying Russian and French at New College, Oxford. Did no one explain to her the summer-long hook-up opportunities and wet t-shirt contests offered in Daytona Beach?
5. They say role playing is one way to keep a marriage spicy: the 1966 version of Much Ado About Nothing starred husband and wife Robert Stephens and Maggie Smith. This version stars Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, who were also married at the time.
6. Judi Dench turned down the part of Ursula, so Branagh cast Emma Thompson's mother Phyllida Law instead. What has your son-in-law done for you lately?
7. Hope your transfiguration homework is all done! Three members of the cast went on to teach at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter movies: Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart, Emma Thompson as Sybil Trelawney, and Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge.
8. The final scene of the cast singing "Hey Nonny Nonny" is in fact one single shot. And if you've ever had to choreograph dozens of extras, flower petal confetti, an accordion player and Denzel Washington through a hedge maze, you know that's no small feat.
9. This is why it pays to hire actors with good pipes: much of the singing in the film was recorded live.
10. The Samuel Goldwyn Company shelled out $10 million on an Oscar campaign, but the film failed to garner a single Academy Award nomination. Keanu Reeves did, however, pick up a Razzie nomination as Worst Supporting Actor, so it wasn't a total loss.