Stepmom

Stepmom is a film about Jackie, a divorcee, coping with the reality that Luke, her ex-husband, is falling in love with a much younger woman. In the midst of all her conflicting emotions she is diagnosed with cancer and must find a way to deal with her illness and prepare her children for the future. A bond develops between the two women that neither of them would have ever dreamed possible.

  • Starring: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris
  • Director(s): Chris Columbus
  • Producer(s): Columbia TriStar Pictures
  • Screenwriter(s): Gigi Levangie
  • Release Date: Friday, December 25, 1998

Featured Animal Action

There is a puppy in several scenes lying on the couch, the bed, on a park bench with the children etc. Later the puppy has matured and grown into a large golden retriever and is in several scenes as a member of the family. For all of these scenes the trainer placed the puppy or dog on its mark and cued it with verbal and visual commands with food as a reward. There were several doubles for the puppy and the adult dog. In a few scenes, Jackie and the children go horseback riding. Professional stunt riders doubled for the actors when the riding was challenging. The actor was placed on the horse to establish the shot and a wrangler was strategically placed around the horse at all times.