20 Well-Kept Details From Behind The Scenes Of Brokeback Mountain

It’s hard to believe, but Brokeback Mountain was released more than 15 years ago now. How time flies! But there’s a silver lining: the folks who made the modern cowboy classic have finally opened up about what really went on behind the scenes. And there’s plenty to dish on – from those much-talked-about love scenes to the little-known inspiration for the movie poster. Even that rumor about the late Heath Ledger...

20. Ledger found the kissing scenes “surreal”

Much was made of the love scenes between Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal’s characters. And in 2010 Gyllenhaal remembered it all. Speaking at the New Yorker Festival, he said, “We just basically went up and slammed our mouths together. We were the instruments for something that was much bigger than both of us.” What did Ledger think, though?

A small part of the whole

Well, before his untimely death, Ledger gave an interview to The Guardian. In January 2006 he said, “It was certainly a surreal moment the first time I had to kiss Jake. But once that was done, I quickly realized that it didn’t make me want to run out and do it again. And you think, ‘Okay, what’s the next shot?’ Those scenes were just a small part of the package.”

19. Anne Hathaway told a lie to get cast

Anne Hathaway really wanted to be in Brokeback Mountain, and she really wanted to play Lureen. So she told a little fib to keep herself in the running. What was it? Well, when Ang Lee asked her if she could ride a horse, the actress answered that she was very good at it. But in fact, she’d never ridden in her life before.

Big whoops

Hathaway did quickly start to teach herself how to ride before filming started – but it wasn’t quite enough. She remembered to Out magazine in 2015, “I went to a rehearsal in front of 300 extras, all of whom work in rodeos, and the horse wouldn’t do a damn thing I wanted it to. And at the end, it threw me — in front of everyone.”