#rwrb rambles

because WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS SCENE WAS TAYNICK'S CHEMISTRY TEST

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY DID THIS SCENE WHEN THEY MET FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

one of my favourite: nick’s hair looks so sksksjsn good unghhhh moments 💗

Reshoots were done in-part because Miguel was recast, and also because Matthew wanted additional footage for some scenes, which isn’t uncommon.

It was this list of scenes in which Nick wears a wig - because he’s filming another project - that inspired this post, and then I was also re-reading some old interviews, and I wanted to put them all in one place!

Nick wears a wig during the reshoots because he was filming Mary & George (He shot Bottoms > RWRB > TIOY > M&G with very few breaks, if any. TIOY wrapped in December 2022, M&G began shooting in January 2023, and the reshoots for RWRB were also in January 2023.)

If there’s a silly!weird thing to know about me when it comes to movies and shows I love, it’s that I will spot an inconsistency like a wig/sudden hair change (hello twilight saga wig fiasco, it’s been over 15 years and I still know all the lore, and think about those fuck ass wigs every time I rewatch those addictive movies 🤪).

Nick wears a wig for RWRB reshoots during these scenes:

The television broadcast on the balcony.

Henry and Alex see each other for the first time during the receiving line.

Matthew reveals that their first meeting on-screen was originally going to be in front of the cake, before he realized the audience would need more context.

"The initial meeting on screen was when they met up in front of the cake but I realized watching the film that I needed to introduce and create a sense of animosity between them earlier and so that's how the receiving line scene came about," shares Matthew. These additional scenes were then completed in January 2023.

The receiving line scene is also a wonderful example of the wildness Taylor brings to the screen as Alex, something that Matthew says he never needed to coach Taylor on.

Henry on the couch during NYE.

Also again briefly while looking sad after Alex/girls kiss during NYE.

Matthew Lopez: It was a hard-won scene. We actually filmed it in two sections, six months apart. We got all of the scene work and the beats down, and we got what we thought was sufficient party atmosphere beats. And we started to cut the film together, and I realized we just didn’t have enough. And so, we went back in January for a few days of reshoots on a couple of other things, and I got them to rebuild part of the set for me. And we brought in just a bunch of people, and we just had a big party and shot it.

That was one of the great lessons for me as a first-time filmmaker, thinking I had enough and realizing that I didn’t, and then being given the opportunity to go back and get more of what I needed. But one of the blessings of that was because I had cut the scene already, then I got to plan the new shots very carefully. We got to invent moments and grab them.

Henry arrives at the DNC to surprise Alex (but then it’s Nick’s real hair when they get up to the hotel room).

When they’re leaving the gates of Kensington Palace to go to the V&A.

Henry crying in the car after the leak.

wig on the left, nick’s real hair on the right.

Henry sitting at the piano (Alex comes to sit with him and they talk - when Henry is seen playing the piano, it’s Nick’s real hair. Only the conversation is a reshoot/wig).

When Nick went back to do RWRB reshoots, he had just wrapped TIOY. During reshoots, he shot this piano scene with Taylor, where he says the line as Henry: “they loved the idea of me” which is like inception… or something. But just adds to the crazy long invisible string of Nick’s career! 💫 he then of course, goes back to shooting M&G, and we all know about the connection there…

When firstprince go out onto the balcony after their confrontation with The King.

Henry on stage when they win the election.

• Deleted scenes: in BTS photos, Nick is seen in a wig while wearing an apron for what would have been the Thanksgiving scene.

If I missed any, please let me know, and I will update.

I conclude my list with some final favourite moments: Henry’s perfect prince hair 💙

my favourite blondie cupcake moments irl from the rwrb 1 era 💖:

the day we get another one of these BTS videos, and Nick has Henry hair skdkdkdk 🤭

Seeing Nick’s long luscious locks out and about, while he’s been filming He-Man right now, I am begging, BEGGING he continues to take his M&G girlies everywhere he goes. They did insane work with him on that show (Rita 🙂‍↕️) and are currently working with him again on MOTU.

I bet Nicholas was on his silliest behavior that day to try and keep cheering Taylor up, and then this:

They would hug each other after the insult scenes to "dispel the negative energy" and I'm like, oh my fucking god, being mean to Nicholas on top of how awful he was feeling was probably so hard, and he really needed those hugs.

Then this from the bloopers:

And these pics:

Nicholas was probably doing his very best to make Taylor laugh and smile despite how awful he felt. Paying attention to someone's behavior/mood and making a deliberate effort to help them in whatever way you can is the mark of a really, really good friend. In this case, Taylor needed cheering up, and that's exactly what Nick did.

I can't even put my emotions into words. Nobody touch me; I'm gonna start crying lmfao

We’ve talked so much about Alex’s comfort with physical affection and how guarded Henry is with his affection. I think this moment captures Henry perfectly. His sister, one of his only remaining supports in this life grasps his hands, but that’s it. Even in this moment of unfolding horror, Henry only receives the barest amount of physical comfort (no shade to Bea, I absolutely adore her - and she’s clearly shook too - the whole royal family needs a hug). We see here how Alex is the only person that has fully breached Henry’s walls as you see a few moments later when Alex embraces Henry on the stairs.

“I was fading….before I found you…losing myself in that underworld. Part of why I felt so…frustrated this time around because…you came back for me. And I knew I had to start fighting back for you - for us - but I couldn’t figure out how.”

Ok school's out responsible student mode off fandom mode on

Watch me dissect this one 17 second reel

Firstly, our boys are back!!! I missed them, all four of them (Firstprince, Taynick) so fucking much!!!

Secondly, they're in comfortable PJs here, and Taylor is shirtless underneath his hoodie, implying that this is in between takes where he's shirtless, which leads us into the next two shot

Thirdly, I guess this means Alex is getting a hair update? I think they're keeping this sweepy side parting instead of reusing the previous fringe (I kinda like it?)

Now this is where it gets interesting

This is Henry's bedroom in Kensington, Alex is alone (at least right now) in Henry's bed, and the bed is unmade

Alex is shirtless 🤤

And this is curious: Alex doesn't have his key necklace, nor his beaded bracelet and his smart watch.

Continuing the point above, looking back at the first movie, Alex takes off his accessories after sex: In Paris he wears it during sex but in the after glow he takes everything off and we can see everything on the bedside drawer; In DNC we also see it on the bedside drawer; the morning after V&A Alex doesn't have them on either

BUT, in this scene in the reel, Alex has his pants on, so the jury on what the context is still out

Now Henry on the other hand, still has his signet ring, but also seems to be sporting a rainbow weaved bracelet!!!

The boys are in different clothes from the shots where they're talking directly to us: it's harder to tell with Taylor and Nicky's wearing a jacket so we don't what shirt (or if there's a shirt at all lol) is underneath, but his pants here are dark while the previous pants were light blue

Also Taylor's classic big laugh lol I love you sweetie

Everyone say hi to Jamie Babbit, our director for the sequel! She's known for her work in queer films, so it's very exciting to see what she'll bring to the sequel

The tilted Hamilton portrait? Henry's fist grabbing onto Alex's curls? Henry's entire torso tilting from the impact? Henry's leg wrapping around Alex's? Alex's hands???

As predicted and as requested, here we are!!!

Nicky! Henry! Looking as adorable as ever!! I think this is in the palace but I can't tell because this shot is a mostly a medium close up of Nick

Alex in a coat and suit with a briefcase, outside an officially-looking building (courthouse? white house? congress?) Seems like he's already working? But we don't know if he's doing politics or law (I personally hope it's law but we'll see)

This is probably the same scene from the very first reel: Nick's in front of the monitor, and on the monitor is Taylor/Alex on a royal bed

THIS IS WESTMINSTER ABBEY AND THAT'S A BIG DEAL HOLY SHIT

I think the white flowers are probably part of a wedding? Rather than a funeral?

MY BOYS!!!!! THEY'RE SO CUTE AND COZY!!!

Definitely in the palace, with classic British afternoon tea! I think they're wearing red and green, so this is definitely sometime around Christmas, which, yay they're together for Christmas!!!

Probably the same scene as the last one, with the royal room, tea set on the table etc. I can't tell if the woman star jumping is Uma or just a blonde crew member

Casey!!! In Westminster!! Again, I'm geeking out over the fact that we're shooting in WEST FUCKING MINSTER ABBEY

Now this is interesting: it looks very similar to the opening wedding scene from the first film: at the very least, it's a formal event with black tie catering

This looks like a US/White House set: I'm not sure so any American please confirm or correct me, but I think those are State flags as opposed to national flags?

Mum!!!

But seriously, first look at Catherine! With Henry! This is definitely in the palace with the decorations. I think that's a Greek vase on the pillar? The lamp and pride flag (pride flag!!!) on the bottom of the screen makes it look like there's a desk, so this might be an office, maybe Henry's with the flag and the placement of everything?