Ron Howard Talks ‘In the Heart of the Sea,’ Is ‘Hopeful’ for New Season of ‘Arrested Development’
Ron Howard had to be sensitive during the making of “In the Heart of the Sea."
— -- When Ron Howard set out to make “In the Heart of the Sea,” he sought advice from his friend Tom Hanks on a specific topic: weight loss.
That’s because his actors had to lose a weight in order to look like emaciated shipwreck survivors for the telling of the real-life story that inspired Herman Melville’s classic book “Moby Dick.”
“I'd never been around a situation where a big weight loss was demanded. It was part of the character and (Hanks had) done it, of course, for ‘Cast Away’ and before that ‘Philadelphia,’” Howard said in an interview with ABC News’ Amy Robach. “And he had some good advice ... .”
Robach asked whether Howard himself had lost any weight while making the film.
“You know, just by the mere fact that you don't want to eat a bagel right in front of them, you sort of, you know, almost by osmosis, you lose a little. I think everybody tuned up,” he said.
Howard said Chris Hemsworth, one of the stars of the film, actually brought him the script.
“I like him, he's got a great work ethic, he's very talented. But he brought a lot to it creatively. And I was impressed by that,” Howard said. “So when he brought me this, of course, I felt like he was kind of born to play Owen Chase.”
Chase was a first mate on the Essex, the real-life ship that was sunk by a whale in the 1820.
“In the Heart of the Sea” opens Dec. 11.
Robach also asked Howard about any plans in the works for another season of the cult hit comedy “Arrested Development.”
Howard, who executive produced the series and narrated it, said series creator Mitchell Hurwitz was working with writers now.
He also said Netflix and 20th Century Fox were “behind it.”
When Robach noted that his reply sounded like a “yes,” Howard said: “Well, it’s hopeful because what’s happened is the cast has become so freaking, you know, in demand. And busy ... .”
He added: “Everybody wants to do it, fans want it. So I'd be saddened if we didn't achieve it. I want to -- I'm the announcer, you know, the narrator – I’ve got to get back to that microphone.”