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Damien Chazelle is among those directors like Paul Thomas Anderson or James Gray who take their time between projects.

To date, Chazelle has directed only five films over 16 years: his first, “Guy & Madeline” in 2009, which had a limited release in American theaters, then his breakout with “Whiplash” in 2014, followed by his celebrated “La La Land” in 2016, which received fourteen Oscar nominations and won six awards.

He teamed up again with Ryan Gosling in 2018 for his fourth movie “First Man: The First Man on the Moon,” and released his latest film, “Babylon,” in 2022. However, it’s with the musical that captivated both critics and audiences that we engage today, with eleven questions about “La La Land.” Before you dive in, here are some behind-the-scenes secrets about the film.

DID YOU KNOW?

Change of Cast

The original casting for “La La Land” included Miles Teller and Emma Watson. Teller was eventually removed from the project due to differences with the director who had cast him in “Whiplash.” Emma Watson had to drop out because of her commitment to filming “Beauty and the Beast.” Ironically, Ryan Gosling turned down the role of the Beast to star in “La La Land.”

Third Time’s the Charm

This marks the third collaboration between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, following their roles in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “Gangster Squad.”

French Inspiration

Damien Chazelle drew significant inspiration from Jacques Demy and his iconic films like “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” “The Young Girls of Rochefort,” and “A Room in Town.” “Demy has probably influenced me the most, not just for this film but for everything I’ve done so far,” the director shared. “No film has impacted me more than ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.’ I hold it very dear.”