Introduction: The Untold Story Behind One of the ’80s Most Controversial Films

When Fatal Attraction hit theaters in 1987, it didn’t just entertain — it stunned audiences into silence. That slashed wrist scene, the chilling phone calls, the infamous boiling rabbit — all of it became instant pop culture history. But the world behind the camera was just as intense as the story on screen. From last-minute casting choices to fierce behind-the-scenes battles, the making of Fatal Attraction was as wild as the movie itself. Buckle up — you’re about to discover the secrets Hollywood never intended you to know.

The World According to Studio Executives: How Casting Almost Changed Everything

Believe it or not, Michael Douglas and Glenn Close were far from the first choices for Fatal Attraction. Douglas, still riding the success of Romancing the Stone but not yet a megastar, wasn’t considered bankable enough to open a major movie. Even with a Best Picture Oscar under his belt for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, studio executives hesitated.

Meanwhile, Glenn Close — already a three-time Oscar nominee — wasn’t exactly the obvious pick for a dangerously seductive siren. She was seen as too wholesome, too “Puritan.” Producers didn’t even want her to audition. Only a favor to her agent led to a reading session… and from the moment she walked in, everything changed. Douglas later admitted, “The moment I saw her, I was like, ‘Whoa!'”

Unattractive Prospects: Why Nobody Wanted to Make This Movie

At first, no one wanted anything to do with Fatal Attraction. Sherry Lansing, the powerhouse producer, practically begged directors to take the project. Even horror legend John Carpenter said no. Paramount’s then-head of production, Dawn Steel, infamously threw the script across the room, furious that anyone thought audiences would care about Dan Gallagher’s fate.

Video: Fatal Attraction (1987) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

Brian De Palma was attached at one point but envisioned it as more of a slasher flick — think Alex Forrest wearing a mask. When he walked away, the movie seemed doomed… until Adrian Lyne, fresh off the steamy success of 9 1/2 Weeks, saw the script’s potential and stepped in.

Hard Pass: The Actresses Who Turned Down Alex Forrest

Casting Alex was a nightmare. Several major stars either passed or were considered but ultimately unavailable. Barbara Hershey was the top choice but had a scheduling conflict. Isabelle Adjani, Jessica Lange, Debra Winger, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer were all reportedly approached or considered but didn’t end up in the role.

Even Miranda Richardson turned it down, saying she couldn’t get behind a character that demonized women. Judy Davis went a step further, trying to talk the director out of making the movie altogether. Melanie Griffith expressed interest, but there were doubts about whether she could handle the seriousness required.

Look Who’s Taping: Real-Life Stalker Tapes Inspired the Film

Fun fact: Kirstie Alley auditioned for Alex — and while she didn’t get the part, she unknowingly influenced the final movie in a huge way. Alley brought along actual recordings of a woman who had been stalking her then-husband, actor Parker Stevenson.

Director Adrian Lyne listened to the tape and decided it was so chilling, he used pieces of it verbatim in the scene where Dan Gallagher hears Alex’s desperate messages. Talk about blurring the line between fiction and reality.

All Too Real: How Personal Stories Fueled the Plot

Screenwriter James Dearden based Fatal Attraction partly on personal experiences. While the story wasn’t strictly autobiographical, he admitted drawing from a relationship with someone who theatrically cut her wrists — not to die, but to manipulate. He also had a friend whose marriage was nearly destroyed by an obsessive ex.

Meanwhile, producer Sherry Lansing was fixated on the real-life Jean Harris case, where a woman shot her lover in a fit of heartbreak. Lansing often wondered what emotional trauma had driven Harris to snap — a question she applied to crafting Alex Forrest’s tragic unraveling.

Changing Names and Titles: From Diversion to Fatal Attraction

Originally, Fatal Attraction was titled Diversion — just like Dearden’s 1980 short film that inspired the feature. Other names like Affairs of the Heart were tossed around before they landed on the unforgettable Fatal Attraction.

Also, Alex wasn’t always Alex. Early drafts named her “Sean,” sparking rumors that the character was based on actress Sean Young. Dearden flatly denied it, calling it a wild coincidence.

Psychoanalysis: Glenn Close’s Hidden Backstory for Alex

Glenn Close didn’t play Alex Forrest as a villain — she played her as a deeply damaged woman. In her own research, Close developed a private backstory where Alex was a victim of childhood abuse. That history, though never spoken aloud in the film, fueled every decision she made on screen.

Close’s portrayal added emotional depth to a role that could’ve easily slipped into caricature. Her commitment made Alex haunting — not just scary, but heartbreakingly human.

The Original Ending Was Way Darker

In the first version of the movie, Alex didn’t die at Beth’s hands. Instead, Alex staged a suicide to make it look like Dan killed her. The final image? Alex cutting her own throat while Madama Butterfly played in the background.

Test audiences hated it. They wanted catharsis. They wanted Alex punished. So Paramount shelled out $1.5 million for reshoots, giving us the now-iconic bathroom showdown.

Glenn Close resisted the change for weeks, feeling it betrayed her character’s story. Director Adrian Lyne didn’t love it either but admitted it was the right call to satisfy audiences.

Video: Fatal Attraction (5/8) Movie CLIP – Alex Comes Over (1987) HD

What Could Have Been: Potential Series Remakes and New Endings

Decades later, Lyne still wonders if that original operatic ending might have worked better in a different format. In interviews about the Paramount+ remake series, he hinted that perhaps the long-form storytelling of a TV series could revisit the darker psychological angle he originally intended.

Could we one day see a Fatal Attraction closer to its original vision? Never say never.

Boiled Bunnies and Real Tears: The Infamous Scenes That Made History

Yes, that boiled bunny scene used a real rabbit — purchased from a butcher, not harmed on set. But the smell was so bad during filming that the entire house reeked for days.

And the heartbreaking scene where young Ellen Gallagher sees her parents fighting? Actress Ellen Latzen, only six years old at the time, was coached into real tears when Michael Douglas cruelly taunted her favorite stuffed animal off-camera. Once the director yelled “cut,” Douglas ran to comfort her.

It’s haunting to think about — but it added layers of realism that made the film unforgettable.

A Blade to Remember: Glenn Close’s Chilling Souvenir

Despite her complicated feelings about the reshot ending, Glenn Close kept one major prop from Fatal Attraction — the massive kitchen knife Alex wields in the final scene.

Today, it hangs in her kitchen, a darkly funny reminder of the character that changed her life and left an indelible scar on Hollywood.

Conclusion: Fatal Attraction Changed Everything — Both On and Off the Screen

The legacy of Fatal Attraction goes beyond a shocking thriller. It tapped into deep cultural fears, opened discussions about mental health, and challenged the boundaries of what audiences would accept from a story about love and betrayal.

Behind the scenes, the film’s history is filled with near-misses, creative battles, and choices that almost sent the movie in a completely different direction. But by leaning into the raw, the uncomfortable, and the brutally human, Fatal Attraction didn’t just survive — it became iconic.

Sometimes, the most unforgettable stories are the ones nobody wanted to tell at first — but once they’re unleashed, they’re impossible to forget.