Ibiza is the newest NETFLIX Original film starring three hilarious and talented women.
The three women in the movie take a trip to Spain and live it up in every possible way, as they seek out a hot DJ and show us what a wild girl’s trip looks like day in and day out.ย
The Knockturnal attended the NYC red carpet screening of Ibiza and in attendance were the three leading ladies, director Alex Richanbach, a couple of other cast members and some celebrity guests as well.
We spoke to director Alex and the leading ladies – Phoebe Robinson, Gillian Jacobs and Vanessa Bayer – about their attraction to the script, challenges whilst filming and some of their favorite moments as well.
Alex Richanbach Interview:
The Knockturnal: How did this project come into your hands and how did you start creating this movie?
Alexย Richanbach: โYeah so Lauryn Kahn wrote this amazing script – her and I were working together at the time at โFunny or Dieโ and she sent me like the early draft of it and I just always loved the script. When they were getting ready to make it into a movie like November of 2016 she called me and said โdo you want to come and direct itโ and then weโve been working on it together ever since.โ
The Knockturnal: What was the biggest challenge you faced while filming this movie? Itโs a lot of fun and humor with a script like this. Was it hard to get everyone to keep it together sometimes?
Alex: It was really fun. There wasnโt a ton of challenges on it, I mean we really were a great team and had a ton of fun. I mean certainly shooting the club scenes and having a thousand extras and being in real locations and doing that was physically challenging but I think that it was mostly just a lot of fun.
The Knockturnal: How was the casting process like?
Alexย Richanbach: I was fans of all three of them. I really wanted to have individual voices that we can tailor the script to, people that had their own comedic delivery and their own tone, and we could tailor to them. So, we started with Gillian and then we were able to get Vanessa on board and Iโve been a big fan of Phoebeโs and wanted to see if they were a great group. We put them together and once you saw the three of them together you knew, instant (chemistry). You knew that was the movie you wanted to see, also the movie you wanted to make. I was like Iโm gonna spend a few months in Europe with a group of people this is what it has to be. And Richard, as soon as I met him I was like โthis is the guyโ and I really felt that way about the whole cast. So we were just looking – each character we really wanted to have unique people with strong voices and then blend them all together.
The Knockturnal: Funniest moment on set?
Alexย Richanbach: Oh my God, so many. I mean anytime we had Gillian, Vanessa and Phoebe improvising together it was just a joy to be on set. I canโt narrow it down to one. I guess one that kind of stands out is Vanessa shooting the elliptical scene. She was on the elliptical machine for like 2 and a half hours just improving the whole time and that was a lot of fun.
Interview with Cast Members – Phoebe, Vanessa and Gillian:
Netflix’s Ibiza Premiere at AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 on May 21, 2018, in New York City.
The Knockturnal: What gravitated you towards the script?
Phoebe Robinson: Well, I thought it was really nice to just have a movie be about three women, hanging out, they like each other – they’re not competing with each other, theyโre not also obsessed with a guy, so it was just really nice to just have a fun movie like that. And then, I was the last person to be cast in it, so when I heard Gillian and Vanessa are in it, I was like โI want to do this movieโ.
Vanessa Bayer: I just thought it was such a fun story about female friendship and everything and there were so many funny things in it for all of the characters. But there was one thing in particular that I read that Iโve never seen before which is – I donโt want to give too much away – but Iโm in a home gym and itโs just the idea of someone being sort of hyped up on drugs and going on an elliptical was very funny to me. And Iโve never seen that before and that scene alone, I was like โoh that would be so funโ.
Gillian Jacobs: I just thought it was an amazing leading role in a film. Itโs a movie that Iโve always dreamed of being a part of a movie like this. So to be the lead in a movie like this, I just lucked at the opportunity.
The Knockturnal: Favorite moment on set?
Phoebe Robinson: I think one of my favorite moments was doing the club stuff, cause Iโm not a club person. Iโve been to two clubs in my life. A bunch of us went for a friendโs bachelorette party to Vegas, and we went to a strip club at like 8 pm cause I was like I gotta get home to sleep. So doing this in the movie, I got to live out my fantasy of like โIf I was a true club go-er thatโd be awesomeโ – and we actually did a couple of car stunts which was fun. They prepped us like โdonโt do anything stupid or whateverโย but weโd be in the car going pretty fast so that was kind of cool, I felt like Vin Diesel for a second (laughs).
The Knockturnal: What was the biggest challenge in filming this movie?
Phoebe Robinson:ย So, this is my first movie so I think doing night shoots. We would do a lot of – you start in late evening and go until 5 in the morning and then being overseas, your body is already out of whack. So that was the biggest thing, you gotta be awake at 4 oโclock in the morning when normally Iโd be asleep. But I feel like the movie was really east to shoot and everyone got along so well.
Vanessa Bayer: I mean honestly we were having so much fun and then to remember that we were working and kind of get focused again. Also, they thought it would be so hot the whole time we were filming cause it was over the summer and everything. But, it ended up being so freezing cold but all of our outfits were like sleeveless and stuff so that was challenging but also you know, kept us awake.
Gillian Jacobs:ย The other thing about starring in a movie is that youโre there all day, every day so just like – youโre tired, youโre not getting enough sleep, just like keeping your stamina up, I think thatโs hard in a film shoot.
The Knockturnal: Whatโs one thing that you learned as an actress after being a part of this film?
Gillian Jacobs: To keep challenging myself to do different types of roles, different types of movies, different genres and always just keep trying new things.
Make sure to check out IBIZA on Netflix now!
