In a recent interview with Variety, Paul Schrader divulged that he lost part of his thumb to Martin Scorsese’s Scottie dog during a dinner party with the iconic director. Schrader and Scorsese have been frequent collaborators throughout their careers, working together on films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Last Temptation of Christ. Schrader is a renowned screenwriter in his own right and has recently focused on his own directorial projects, including the critically acclaimed First Reformed and The Card Counter.
According to Schrader, he was enjoying a night with Scorsese at the director’s home, where he met his surprisingly “problematic” Scottie dog. Schrader attempted to pet the dog when it bit his hand, making off with a chunk of his thumb. Schrader showed up to the interview with a bandaged hand, joking that the accident could have been worse if it was the filmmaker’s cat who attacked him.
Schrader’s new film Oh, Canada will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17. The film is based on the novel Foregone by Russell Banks and follows a tormented writer played by Richard Gere. Scorsese, on the other hand, is reportedly planning a film based on a 1973 fictional retelling of Jesus’ life by Shūsaku Endō, entitled A Life of Jesus. The director is said to be considering casting Andrew Garfield and Miles Teller, and is reportedly planning to finance the project independently, similar to his approach with the film Silence.
Aside from his religious epic, Scorsese is also set to direct a biopic on Frank Sinatra, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Jennifer Lawrence may also be joining the film’s cast as the iconic singer’s second wife, actress Ava Gardner. While Schrader may have lost a piece of his thumb to Scorsese’s dog, he remains a close friend and collaborator of the legendary director
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