August 16, 1994: Robin Wright and Robert Redford Drop Out of ‘Crisis in the Hot Zone’
‘Crisis in the Hot Zone’ was shaping up to be one of Hollywood’s most ambitious medical thrillers. The film, set to be directed by Ridley Scott, carried a reported $55 million budget and was based on Richard Preston’s 1992 nonfiction book about the deadly Ebola virus. However, the production quickly ran into trouble.
In July 1994, Jodie Foster unexpectedly withdrew from the project just two weeks before filming was scheduled to begin, due to dissatisfaction with the script.
Soon after, Robin Wright stepped in to take over the lead role, portraying a respected female government scientist. She was set to star opposite Robert Redford, who had been attached as the male lead.
But behind the scenes problems persisted. The film’s budget continued to escalate and both Wright and Redford grew dissatisfied with the development of their characters, feeling that the script failed to give them sufficient depth and complexity.
On August 16, 1994, Robin Wright and Robert Redford withdrew from the film, dealing a major blow to the already troubled production.
The project never recovered. Ongoing script difficulties, combined with the emergence of a similar themed film, Outbreak (1995), led to ‘Crisis in the Hot Zone’ being shelved altogether.
Two decades later, the material was finally brought to the screen in a different form. In 2019, Fox produced a miniseries adaptation starring Julianna Margulies and Tony Goldwyn, with Ridley Scott involved as a producer rather than director.
October 23, 1994: Madonna talks about Robin Wright
In a Los Angeles Times magazine interview, Madonna said that she’s tired of being painted as a lonely and sad figure. She said: “When Sean (Penn) and I got divorced and he had a relationship with Robin Wright and started having children, I was forever reading stuff about how Robin was such a nice, sweet person and he seemed so much happier. You know, how he’s finally found a virtuous woman to be with. They do love to pump that up. Then I broke up with Warren (Beatty), he started dating Annette Benning and they started a family, and once again, it’s the same thing”.
I love reading what Madonna has said about Robin Wright.
Maybe they were seen as rivals in the past because of Sean Penn, but I adore them both. Madonna is my all-time favorite singer and Robin Wright is my favorite actress.
They seem like very different people. Madonna has always embraced the spotlight and thrives on being seen while Robin is much more private and reserved, someone who doesn’t naturally gravitate toward public events or fan interactions. But at their core they have so much in common: they are both incredibly strong, independent, feminist and immensely talented women.
To me, Madonna is the greatest in music and Robin Wright is the greatest in film and television. Two icons, each in their own world and I admire them both deeply.