Deborah Chan
In the 1997 film My Best Friend's Wedding, Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts) tries to break up her best friend Michael O'Neal (Dermot Mulroney) and his fiancée Kimmy Wallace (Cameron Diaz). In one scene, Julianne forces Kimmy to sing karaoke to embarrass her. Kimmy, who is uncomfortable with singing, performs I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The song was originally written for Dionne Warwick and later popularized by Aretha Franklin.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the movie | My Best Friend's Wedding |
| Year of release | 1997 |
| Song | "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" |
| Singer | Cameron Diaz |
| Songwriters | Burt Bacharach and Hal David |
| Original singer | Dionne Warwick |
| Popularized by | Aretha Franklin |
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What You'll Learn
Kimmy sings I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
In the 1997 romantic comedy film My Best Friend's Wedding, Julianne Potter, played by Julia Roberts, tries to win back her best friend Michael O'Neal, played by Dermot Mulroney, after he decides to marry Kimmy Wallace, played by Cameron Diaz. In one scene, Julianne forces Kimmy to sing karaoke in an attempt to embarrass her. Kimmy, who hates to sing, performs "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself," written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The song is one of several Bacharach/David songs featured on the film's soundtrack, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score.
The karaoke scene was not in the original script but was added by director P.J. Hogan, who wanted to give the character of George Downes, played by Rupert Everett, more screen time. Hogan explained that he wanted to create a memorable scene that would allow viewers to sing along and relate to the characters on a more personal level. The scene was shot live, with Diaz "botching her way through the song" to hilarious effect.
Diaz admitted that she was terrified to film the karaoke scene but that her co-star Mulroney helped her get through it. She said, "I allowed the true terror of singing in front of people to be alive in me. I wanted to run and hide, and Dermot kept me there." Everett praised Diaz's performance, saying that she took the moment from "ridiculous to suddenly being incredibly moving." He also noted that the scene made Kimmy and Michael's characters "fall in love more" while further isolating Julianne in her plotting to ruin their relationship.
The film's soundtrack, which includes both original and contemporary songs, was a commercial success, reaching the Top 20 on the U.S. charts. It has been praised for its selection of songs and the vocals of the cast members. The karaoke scene, in particular, has become one of the most iconic and memorable moments in the film, showcasing Diaz's range as an actress and adding a layer of comedy and emotion to the story.
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The song is a Burt Bacharach/Hal David classic
In the film My Best Friend's Wedding, Kimmy, played by Cameron Diaz, sings the Burt Bacharach/Hal David classic "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" at a karaoke bar. The song choice was a genius move by director P.J. Hogan, as it is a well-known song that viewers could sing along to, helping them relate to the characters on a more personal level.
The scene was not in the original script and was added by Hogan to give George, played by Rupert Everett, a bigger role. Hogan and his wife, director Jocelyn Moorhouse, chose the song as they felt it was a widely recognised tune that everyone would know at least some of the lyrics to.
The song was originally written for Dionne Warwick and later popularised by Aretha Franklin. In the film, Kimmy's performance is meant to embarrass her, with Jules (played by Julia Roberts) manipulating Kimmy into singing karaoke. Diaz, who played Kimmy, admitted that she was terrified to perform the song, stating that she "allowed the true terror of singing in front of people to be alive in me".
The Bacharach/David song is a perfect fit for the scene, with its ironic lyrics and catchy melody. The use of well-known songs as an essential part of the film's narrative adds to its charm and makes it a memorable romantic comedy.
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Cameron Diaz, who plays Kimmy, was terrified to sing in front of people
In the 1997 romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding, Cameron Diaz plays Kimmy, a college student and the fiancée of the protagonist Julianne's best friend and love interest, Michael. In one of the film's most iconic scenes, Julianne attempts to humiliate Kimmy by forcing her to sing karaoke in front of a large crowd.
Diaz has since revealed that she was terrified to film the scene, experiencing genuine fear at the prospect of singing in front of people. She recalled:
> "I allowed the true terror of singing in front of people to be alive in me. I wanted to run and hide, and Dermot [Mulroney, who plays Michael] kept me there. He said, 'You can do it, you can do it.' In the scene, I’m just staring at him the whole time because he’s looking at me like, 'You’re okay. You’re not gonna die.' And I was like, 'But I’m dying.'"
Director P.J. Hogan confirmed that the scene was shot live, with Diaz performing in front of a real crowd, and that her nervousness only improved the scene:
> "Cameron just botched her way through the song, and the worse she got, the better the scene was. But then Cameron was so game that the applause started to become real."
The karaoke scene sees Kimmy sing "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself", originally by Dusty Springfield.
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The song was originally meant to be lip-synched
In the 1997 film My Best Friend's Wedding, Jules (Julia Roberts) tries to break up her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) and his fiancée Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). In one scene, Jules forces Kimmy to sing karaoke in an attempt to embarrass her. Kimmy, who is clearly uncomfortable with singing, performs "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", a Burt Bacharach/Hal David classic.
Director P.J. Hogan revealed that the scene was originally meant to be lip-synched. Hogan told EW that he added the scene to give George a bigger role:
> "I was talking with my wife [director Jocelyn Moorhouse] and I just said, 'What if he was to lead a big singalong — what would be a song that everybody knows?'".
Hogan decided to use "I Say a Little Prayer", and the scene became a memorable moment in the film. Diaz admitted that she was terrified to do the scene, but her co-star Dermot Mulroney encouraged her, saying, "You can do it, you can do it." The scene was shot live, with Diaz singing in front of a crowd of onlookers, including Mulroney's character Michael and Jules.
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The film features several Bacharach songs
The 1997 film My Best Friend's Wedding is a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett. The film features several Bacharach songs, including "I Say a Little Prayer," "The Way You Look Tonight," and "Wishin' and Hopin'."
"I Say a Little Prayer" is sung by George Downes, played by Everett, during a lunch scene with the wedding party. The song is originally written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and is covered by Diana King in the film. It became a U.S. Billboard Hot 100 hit.
"The Way You Look Tonight" is performed by Tony Bennett and serves as the song for the newlyweds, Julianne and Michael.
"Wishin' and Hopin'" is performed by Ani Di Franco during the opening credits of the film. The song sets the tone for the film, giving it a 1950s rom-com feel.
The inclusion of Bacharach songs was a deliberate choice by director P.J. Hogan, who wanted a song that everyone would know and could sing along to. This decision helped create a moment for viewers to relate to the characters on a more personal level.
In addition to the Bacharach songs, the film also features other well-known songs such as "Annie's Song" by John Denver, "What the World Needs Now Is Love" by Jackie DeShannon, and "I'll Be Okay" by Amanda Marshall.
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Frequently asked questions
Kimmy, played by Cameron Diaz, sings "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" by Burt Bacharach/Hal David.
No, Kimmy also sings Bacharach's "Wishin' and Hopin'" in the opening credits.
Julianne forces Kimmy to sing karaoke to embarrass her.
No, the scene was a last-minute addition by director P.J. Hogan, who wanted to give George Downes (Rupert Everett) a bigger role.
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