UMVA has learned that a romantic scene between Jemaine Clement and Yali Topol Margalith in the new Disney Plus series Alice and Steve had to be cut from the final show due to a rather unusual and disturbing reason.
The scene, which was supposed to be a tender moment between the on-screen couple, was ruined when a dead, bloated fox floated by, covered in flies. The smell and sight were so repulsive that the actors struggled to get through the scene without gagging.
Jemaine described the experience as "one of the worst things I've seen in my life," adding that the fox "kept floating around" and would occasionally bob back up to the surface. Yali agreed, saying they "weren't selling it" and were probably gagging the whole way through.
The unlikely couple's romance is at the center of Alice and Steve, a "wrong-com" series that follows their relationship as they navigate the disapproval of Alice's mother and her best friend. The show's plot thickens as Alice unleashes hell on Steve's life, trying to split the pair apart.
Despite the challenges, Yali noted that it was important to show Izzy making the first move on Steve, balancing the power dynamic that has been established over the years. She praised Yali's character, saying she "knows what she wants, and she goes for it," which helps to make their relationship more equal.
Jemaine and Nicola Walker, who play best friends in one episode, had to bond over their shared experience and try to support each other to make their scenes believable. Jemaine joked that it was easy for Nicola to play the role of Alice, who hates him for the rest of the series.
The series, which launches on Disney Plus, promises to deliver a mix of humor and heart as the unlikely couple navigates their romance and the challenges that come with it.
