Michael Rymer, director of “Queen of the Damned” starring the late singer Aaliyah, has revealed that the actress had an unmatched work ethic. The director put her through the wringer during the audition and finally believed he had nailed the casting.
Michael Rymer remembers Aaliyah’s first audition and her determination to play Akasha
Though Rymer was not acquainted with Aaliyah before the casting, just one work trip to meet her changed his perception. The director spoke to Us on the actress’s 25th death anniversary. He reminisced about his experiences with Aaliyah in the 2002 horror film.
“I flew to Vancouver from Toronto just for an overnight [stay] to have dinner with Aaliyah,” the director said, adding, “I met her and her brother, Rashad [Haughton], and we went to their favorite little Italian joint ’round the corner and had a really nice dinner and talked about the books [The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, on which the 2002 horror film was based].”
The director recalled that he had warned the actress about the intense role, one which fell “way outside” of her work in music. Even so, he invited her to do a screen test, an opportunity the “Try Again” singer fully appreciated.
“She said, ‘Absolutely. I want you to have complete faith [in me], and I will work hard and as long as it takes,’” the filmmaker shares.
The director admitted that he put Aaliyah through testing times in the audition as he “really wanted to challenge” her.
“She’s playing a 2000-year-old Egyptian queen, so we broke it down into what you’d call external impediments,” he explained. From learning an Egyptian accent, taking up a cat-like gait, to sitting through a statue scene where she was cast in plaster – Aaliyah conquered all challenges. The filmmaker also praised the young woman’s work ethic. He said that she put in an incredible amount of hard work and was a true professional throughout.
Unfortunately, the singer and actress passed away at the age of 22 in a plane crash in the Bahamas. She died on August 25, 2021, approximately six months before the film hit the theatres.
