By now, you've definitely heard of Spring Breakers, that movie featuring former Disney queens Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens dropping their good girl image in favor of some guns and bikinis, and rolling with Gucci Mane over Mickey Mouse. For moviegoers in New York and L.A., the Harmony Korine-directed flick finally hits theaters tomorrow (March 22 nationwide). And from the trailers and the surrounding buzz, we’re already well aware of the mayhem that goes down on screen.
As it turns out, with production taking place among real-life spring breakers in St. Petersburg, Florida, the off screen action was just as wild. Get the behind the scenes lowdown with these 25 things you didn’t know about the making of Spring Breakers.
RELATED: The 25 Most Memorable Moments in MTV Spring Break History
RELATED: The 10 Most Shocking Roles Played By Former Child Stars
RELATED: Who's That Girl? Meet "Spring Breakers" Actress Ashley Benson
Harmony Korine drew inspiration from fat lesbians, a human jawbone, and bikers when conceptualizing Spring Breakers.
Emma Roberts was originally supposed to play Brit (Ashley Benson's character), but she dropped out due to "creative differences."
Harmony Korine checked himself into the Holiday Inn at Daytona Beach during spring break to write the movie.
According to Harmony Korine, Franco's character is partially inspired by kids Korine knew in high school in Nashville.
Gucci Mane credits landing his role to Mariah Carey, who introduced him to Brett Ratner on the set of her music video "Obsessed." Ratner then connected him with director Harmony Korine.
James Franco's inspiration for his character Alien was the rapper Dangeruss.
The ATL Twins were cast as twin drug dealers after Harmony Korine read their viral NSFW Vice magazine interview. The twins met up with Korine in Nashville, where they were shooting with Yelawolf.
For the look of the movie, director Harmony Korine was inspired by fraternity forums and coed porno.
The spring break scenes were shot in St. Petersburg, Florida among real spring breakers.
Fun fact about St. Petersburg: Earlier this year, police arrested 17 alleged drug dealers.
Including the hotel rooms, equipment rental, location, among other things, the film crew added $1.3 million to the local economy of St. Petersburg.
During production, a couple who were fans set up camp on the ceiling of the hotel and filmed from their own angle through the cracks and the floorboards for 48 hours before being kicked out.
The dorm room scenes of the film were shot at The Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota.
Harmony Korine wanted the film to be like a "violent pop song."
Skrillex scored the movie with composer Cliff Martinez.
Korine wanted the film's editing style, which relies heavily on repetition, to mimic loop-based muisc.
Benoît Debie, who shot the extreme French films Irreversible and Enter the Void, did the cinematography for Spring Breakers.
Selena Gomez's mom, who's a huge Harmony Korine fan, accompanied Selena to Nashville, where she auditioned for the part. Gomez's favorite Korine movie is Trash Humpers.
Vanessa Hudgens wears a blonde wig throughout the movie.
Korine has said he was surprised by the boldness in Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens' work on the film.
Gomez told Entertainment Weekly that to simulate snorting coke, the girls would snort crushed-up vitamin B-12.
Rachel Korine, the filmmaker's wife, became like a big sister to Gomez. Although she wasn't originally supposed to be in it, Korine accompanied Gomez in the scene where a bunch of frat guys had to grind against her.
Harmony Korine purposely didn't tell Selena Gomez about the scene in which James Franco's character Alien harasses her so that her vulnerability would come out naturally.
In between takes, the girls would blast Drake to keep their momentum up.
The threesome scene was so nerve-wracking for Hudgens that it prompted her to rule out sex shoots in the future.
