One could question if Samantha’s eclectic closet is tasteful—but that’s certainly not the point. Rather, Welker Hoxey and Faris envisioned the character to represent all of the excess, theatricality, and sometimes ridiculousness that goes into being a modern-day pop star. Take the time when her private jet is forced to emergency-land, after a fire starts because Samantha microwaved aluminum foil (“I’m not supposed to worry about stuff like that—I’m the talent!”): the star sports a fur-trimmed blue toggle coat, with matching hat, boots, and even a retro hand muffler. In another bar scene, she sports gigantic fur earmuffs. “Anna is fearless, and was willing to go wherever I wanted to, costume-wise,” says Welker Hoxey. “My usual costume approach is to keep it as real as possible with the clothes, so that the humor will be front and center. But with Samantha, we decided to pull out all the stops and pile it on.”
Photo: Courtesy of Alexandra Welker Hoxey
Photo: Courtesy of Alexandra Welker Hoxey
The designer’s ability to craft such memorable, and tacky-chic outfits is even more impressive given the frigid conditions they were all working in: the project was filmed in Saskatchewan, Canada, dead in the middle of winter. “It was so cold outside that we’d only put the actors on camera in their costumes without protective arctic gear layers for a few moments at a time, because there was such concern about keeping them warm,” she says. (Reynolds, a true Canadian, took it like a champ.) She recalls that it was so cold, that the leather, hand-appliquéd halter top and skintight trousers outfit she created for Samantha’s mall scene actually began to fall apart right before a take. “The cold affected the leather glue, and the appliqués started falling off as we were filming,” says Welker Hoxey. “My set costumer and I had to keep sticking them back on between takes!”
So, if you have yet to take in this 2005 gem; consider watching it this holiday season—even if just for the festive fashions. Which are good to the very last scene, when Samantha shows up in a purple coat with pom-pom lining. “I remember Anna repeatedly twirling in her fittings—very dramatic,” Welker Hoxey says. It’s these types of campy style moments that make Just Friends one of the most fun movies the designer has worked on. “Making Just Friends was one of the best film experiences I’ve ever had,” she remembers. “It was a truly bonding experience—working with insanely smart, creative, collaborative, funny filmmakers. Everyone brought something to the table.”
#Years #Samantha #James #Friends #Holiday #Style #Icon
