The source claims the tennis star would spend hours scouring the script and even had contracts changed to make it clear that his wife would have no physical contact with any other man.
‘There was a scene where Bec was required to slow dance with her on-screen husband and he said no to that,’ says our source.
‘As time went by he got worse and people really had to consider if the movie could move forward with his involvement. Bec was great, but everyone knows he was going to be difficult,’ the insider spills.
Having met with the film producers in Melbourne in 2015, the former Home And Away actress was initially thrilled to be offered the role of Nellie, the wife of the movie’s main character.
‘The producers wanted Bec because she is talented and hasn’t worked in recent times,’ says our source. ‘She is a great actor and her return would have been celebrated. She was all for it too, excited but still nervous, and said she would love to get back into acting.’
However, feeling there was ‘chemistry’ between Bec and the scriptwriter, Lleyton decided to step into the negotiations with various requests.
‘They had a good rapport and seemed to really hit it off, but when Lleyton became aware of this he started to roadblock – stalling negotiations and controlling the situation,’ the source added.
And as talks with superstar Eric Bana as a possible co-star began, it seems it wasn’t only the crew causing Lleyton concern.
‘It was made clear that there were certain actors she wouldn’t be allowed to work with,’ says the source. ‘It was laughable really because she was an actor when they met, and it’s not out of context to show love and a bond between two married characters.’
Having put her own career on the backburner after seven successful years on award winning soap Home And Away, the Gold Logie nominee has happily spent more than a decade supporting her tennis champ husband as he toured the world.
Caring for their three children Mia, 12, Cruz, nine, and Ava, seven, Bec threw herself into motherhood while making no secret of the fact she wanted to relive her time in the spotlight once Lleyton’s gruelling schedule made allowances.
‘I would love to get back into acting,’ Bec said in a previous interview.
‘Over the past 10 years, I guess it’s been a bit difficult as we haven’t been in one place at one time,’ she added.
In 2014, when asked if she would return to Home And Away, she told Daily Mail: ‘I haven’t been asked, but I wouldn’t say no.
‘I’m so grateful for what they [Home And Away] did for me, I had such a great time there.
‘I’m so open, I’d love to get back into it. Just over the last 10 years, it’s been a little bit difficult. If it was Irene’s 50th birthday party or something, then sure I would come on back,’ she added.
For the full story see this weeks issue of New Idea, on sale now.
