#SHOWBIZ: Henry's back for 'Another Simple Favour'

New Straits Times

07-05-2025

MALAYSIA'S "Mr Hollywood" Henry Golding is back in a dark drama-comedy, which reunites him with director Paul Feig and popular actresses Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively.
On Prime Video since May 1, 'Another Simple Favour' sees him reprise his role from 2018's dark comedy 'A Simple Favour' as a Sean Townsend, a good man torn between two women, namely his villainous former wife Emily and his honest-to-goodness current one, Stephanie.
In 'A Simple Favour', Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick), a mummy vlogger, formed an unexpected friendship with the ultra-chic Emily Nelson (Lively), a fellow mother at her son's school.
When Emily asked Stephanie to watch her son for a few hours while she was away at work, what seemed like a simple favour quickly spiralled into a labyrinth of secrets, lies and shocking revelations.
Emily mysteriously disappeared, and Stephanie was determined to find out what, or who, was behind her friend's sudden disappearance.
She uncovered the shocking truth: Emily had killed her twin sister, Faith, and staged her own death to start a new life.
When Emily's dark past was finally exposed, she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In a recent interview, Feig said: "In 'Another Simple Favour', Stephanie and Emily reunite on the breathtaking island of Capri, Italy for Emily's extravagant wedding.
"But beneath the stunning scenery and glamorous fashion lies imminent danger, dark secrets, and the chilling possibility of murder that threatens everyone on the island.
"This thrilling sequel takes everything fans loved about the original 2018 dark comedy and amplifies it — delivering even more show stopping fashion, high-stakes drama, and suspense.
"Set against the backdrop of a breathtakingly beautiful location, the film reunites the original cast while introducing a new group of mysterious characters.
"No one is safe, and every moment leaves you guessing, right up until the end."
Many of the original movie's characters are back, such as Andrew Rannells as Stephanie's friend Darren, and Joshua Satine and Ian Ho as Stephanie's son Miles, and Emily's son Nicky respectively.
Golding said that he was immediately excited by the script.
"My initial reaction was one of just – How fun!" said the star of films like 'Crazy Rich Asians' and 'Last Christmas'.
"I think Paul leaned into what everybody loved about the first film, and he wasn't afraid to amp it up and make those twists and turns even more shocking and graphic."
Golding added that Sean certainly gets to cut loose.
"He's only in Capri to accompany his son Nicky at his mother's second wedding, and he gets through the occasion by unwinding a little bit too hard, often acting outrageously, all filters removed.
"I told Paul, I want to make sure Sean has a fun time in this one because he was a bit of a punchbag in the last movie.
"So this time he has some barbed edges as he gets roped back into Emily's world."
VLOGGING
Feig said that Stephanie's vlog — which she has used to chronicle the investigation — has catapulted her to social media fame and part-time detective work.
"Stephanie has reaped the rewards of her viral success, solving several more cases since Emily's incarceration.
"However a recent case has her wrestling with guilt that she cannot seem to shake.
"Stephanie puts her vlog on hiatus and is reluctant to celebrate the release of her first true-crime book which recounts the wild twists of Emily's case."
Feig added that what begins as a routine day takes a shocking turn when to Stephanie's astonishment, standing before her is Emily, whom she thought had been serving a 20-year sentence for murder.
"Emily reveals she's been released on appeal and about to jet off to Capri to marry a mysterious man from her past, Dante Versano.
"She has a surprising favour to ask of Stephanie: to be her maid of honour."
Feig admitted that after the release of the first film in 2018, he had no intention of creating a sequel.
Despite the film's impressive box office performance, earning nearly US$100 million on a US$20 million budget, the idea of a sequel remained off the table.
Feig explained: "During the pandemic, a lot more people discovered the film on streaming, and its popularity surged.
"So, my team decided to get a second movie."
THRILLER
Feig, who had previously directed global hit female-led comedies such as 'Bridesmaids' and 'Spy', had always been averse to sequels, until now.
"But Anna and Blake really stuck in my head, and I felt like there's something more to be done with them.
"I wanted to see these two women take the next step and join together against a common adversary."
Feig knew the exact ingredients needed for a great sequel.
"It's a real delicate balance, and I feel we came up with exactly what we needed to have, which is a twisty, sexy, unexpected adventure thriller.
"It was also fun to take Stephanie out of suburbia and drop her into the over the top European opulence of Capri."
Several new players have joined the cast, including Italian actor Michele Morrone as Emily's wealthy mafia boss husband-to-be, Dante Versano, Italian actress Elena Sofia Ricci as Dante's mother, Portia and Oscar-winning actress Allison Janney of 'The West Wing' fame as Dante's aunt Linda.