Spielberg Reveals How Kathleen Kennedy Saved His 1994 Masterpiece

Despite the numerous changes and upheavals at Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy has managed to retain her position as president and continues to steer the Star Wars franchise in partnership with Disney. Regardless of differing opinions on her management style, Kennedy remains a key figure in shaping the future of Star Wars. Her perspective on the franchise is crucial and will be the focus of this article.

However, beyond the ongoing criticisms of her leadership, there’s a lesser-known story from her past that may shift your perception. Once you learn about it, you’ll find yourself respecting her, regardless of your views on her current role.

In a recent interview with ‘The Hollywood Reporter’, Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg shared how Kathleen Kennedy played a crucial role in saving his 1994 masterpiece, ‘Schindler’s List’. Often considered Spielberg’s finest work and one of the greatest films ever made, this revelation sheds new light on Kennedy’s impact. Here’s the full story!

Spielberg recently sat down with Liam Neeson, the star of ‘Schindler’s List,’ to share insights into the film’s creation. As the two friends revisited the story behind the movie, Spielberg also discussed a critical moment when Kathleen Kennedy stepped in to help. He revealed that Kennedy intervened during a challenging period when he faced studio issues due to his simultaneous work on ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘Jurassic Park.’ Here’s what he had to say:

Tom Pollock, who was running the feature division of Universal, said, “I think it’s great that you’re interested in doing Schindler’s List, but you’ve got to finish Jurassic Park first.” I was in post on Jurassic Park. I said, “I think I can overlap. I can do Schindler’s List while I’m finishing Jurassic Park.” Tom resisted that. He said, “Jurassic Park is a huge piece of business for this company; you can’t abandon it.” I said, “Tom, I’m not going to abandon it. I’ve locked the film. All I have left to do is mix it, score it and correct the color.” And he said, “Well, you can’t do that from Eastern Europe.” And I said, “Yes I can.”

I called George [Lucas, Spielberg’s longtime friend and occasional collaborator]. I said, “George, I’m in trouble. The studio’s really upset with me that I’m going to not mix Jurassic Park and go off to Europe and make Schindler’s List. Would you mix Jurassic Park?” I already had his mixers working on the film, so George said he’d take over. And he and Kathy Kennedy mixed the film.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Kathleen Kennedy played a pivotal role in the success of both films and regardless of personal opinions about her, her behind-the-scenes contributions are historically significant. She helped preserve the legacy of two remarkable movies, each of which holds substantial impact and influence in the world of cinema.

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