Removing scandal-plagued star Kevin Spacey from the upcoming drama "All the Money in the World" was a no-brainer for director Ridley Scott _ even though the film was mere weeks away from theaters.
Scott, 80, says he knew right away he needed to replace the actor in the already completed film due out Christmas after Spacey _ who had a starring role as J. Paul Getty _ was accused of sexual misconduct in late October.
"Immediately," Scott told the Daily News of when he decided to remove Spacey. "I knew it was a problem. ... This kind of film is a more challenging sell. It's not crashing cars, and drug addicts and monsters. ... This was a kind of really epic, intelligent view of a family in the '60s and the '70s, which was fascinating.
"Honestly, within about 22 hours I was on the phone with my partners and was saying, 'We gotta replace this, and I know who can do this. Is he available? Let's get into it.'"
Scott turned to veteran actor Christopher Plummer to fill the role once occupied by Spacey, and quickly reshot every scene featuring the Getty role in the subsequent days.
The challenging undertaking cost an additional $10 million, but the movie _ which centers on the kidnapping of Getty's grandson and his refusal to pay the ransom _ remains on target for a holiday-season release.
Plummer, 88, was always one of Scott's top choices for the role, and the director says the "Sound of Music" star ultimately brought a warmth to Getty that differed from Spacey's frostier portrayal.
"Christopher essentially is a man with a smile and twinkle," Scott said. "At the same time, he's a man of great elegance. You put that into the role of Getty, and Getty is saying such down-to-Earth, practical and therefore sometimes cruel words, with the combination of the physicality of Plummer, it makes it I think even more powerful.
"Out of this, you got oddly enough a more sympathetic Getty, which is always a good thing," Scott said. "It's great not to make people perceived as monsters totally monsters, but in fact they have a heart."
The beginning of "All the Money in the World" highlights Getty's close bond with his eldest grandson, Paul, years before the boy's kidnapping.
Spacey, 58, is one of numerous men in Hollywood in recent months accused of repeated sexual misconduct. Actor Anthony Rapp was the first to come forward with allegations against Spacey, asserting in October that the actor climbed on top of him in bed in 1986, when he was 14 and Spacey was 26.
Over a dozen additional accusers have since come forward with allegations of impropriety against Spacey, who was also removed from Netflix's "House of Cards" and dumped by his publicist. Netflix scrapped plans to release a film starring Spacey called "Gore" about Gore Vidal as well.
Scott still hasn't heard from Spacey or his team since removing him from "All the Money in the World" _ a reality the director calls "a bit shocking" and left him "very disappointed." He says he never received any complaints regarding Spacey's behavior on set, and enjoyed working with the actor before the scandal emerged.
That said, he has no inclination to get in touch with Spacey now.
"I have no real plans to talk to Kevin Spacey," Scott said. "I wouldn't know what I'd say to him. I'd be speechless for the first time in my life."
Scott's efforts to re-create "All the Money in the World" so rapidly are already being applauded by those within the industry, and he's up for best director at the Golden Globes.
Plummer, meanwhile, is nominated for best supporting actor, while fellow star Michelle Williams is a contender for best actress in a drama.
