RIP Lynda Obst
Two days ago, I posted a book review of Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights on my YouTube channel. Reading the book (and reviewing it) necessarily made me think about my time on film sets, which of course made me think of interning for Lynda Obst.
The very next day—yesterday—I saw the headline that Lynda had passed away.
She was young; the same age as my own father (I’m fortunate, I suppose, that both my parents are still living). And it’s difficult to imagine such a force as Lynda as… being gone. She was small but her presence filled a room. Feisty. Determined. A go-getter. All those cliché terms.
I worked for Lynda as she finished up with Contact, worked on Hope Floats, and geared up for The Siege. We were in Austin (I was an undergrad), and Lynda drove a big, red Dodge Ram truck. I remember one day she was driving with her coffee in one hand, a cigarette in her other, and the cigarette hand was simultaneously holding her mobile phone to her ear. On top of all that, she had her visor down because she had driving directions stuck to the back of it, so she was trying to read those while she drove. She finished her cigarette and meant to throw it out of the window but threw her phone instead. Some hapless PA was sent to hunt the side of the highway for it later. (Better them than me!)
Once Lynda realized my strength was in writing, I ended up doing a lot of things like drafting emails and helping to write a new foreword or afterword (I don’t remember which) for the paperback version of her book. I’ve never read the book! I probably should.
Lynda made me associate producer one day after she argued with our actual associate producer and that person walked off the set. It was such a cool day, and I remember Lynda said I settled right into it. Alas, the original associate producer returned the next day and thanked me for keeping her seat warm, more or less. But Lynda did suggest I should consider working in her L.A. office, and to this day I sometimes wonder how differently my life would have turned out if I’d taken her up on that offer. But I was starting my final year at U.T. and couldn’t imagine leaving my degree unfinished. What I hadn’t realized then is that the movie industry forgets you if you leave the room for more than five minutes. Especially if you’re just a lowly intern.
Still, I appreciate the opportunity I had to work for Lynda. And she told me she appreciated my “can do” attitude, which is a compliment I’ve treasured ever since.