Bridesmaids will always hold a special place in Kristen Wiig's heart.
Not only did she co-write and star in the female-driven comedy, but she also got the opportunity to work with actress Jill Clayburgh, who lost her battle with leukemia in November 2010.
"I felt honored the moment she signed on to do the film," Wiig, 37, told Us Weekly during a press junket May 1. "She was a very maternal, nurturing spirit. She was also game for anything. There were times when she was saying things and I would just start laughing. I was like, 'Oh, my god, I'm making Jill Clayburgh talk about motor-boating,' which didn't end up in the movie. She was amazing."
According to producer Judd Apatow, 43, they wanted to honor Clayburgh's legacy without making her appear crass on film.
"We took some dirty Jill Clayburgh jokes out because I just thought, 'That can't be the last thing she ever says in a film,'" he explained. "We did debate it. We were like, 'That's funny, but that would be questionable.'"
"She was the nicest woman," Apatow continued. "We're all so influenced by her work and her acting style. We really appreciate that real, naturalistic acting style. She was just a great woman. None of us knew she was sick. She was just awesome, every day."
