Lehane added that he lamented a subplot in both versions of Mystic River involving the character Sean and his estranged wife because it was too peripheral to the core of the movie.
“I fought for it, and I regret it to this day,” Lehane said. “It never worked in the book, and it didn’t work in the movie.”
One of the final questions for Lehane was about casting. While he said he had no role in that process, he was pleased with the choices of actors to play his characters.
“My favorite moment was when [Director Clint Eastwood] called me up and said he wanted to cast Laurence Fishburne as Whitey,” Lehane said. “I love Laurence Fishburne, and it’s so cool to have a black character named Whitey.”
In response to the final question from the audience, Lehane offered a piece of succinct advice.
“Read the book, damn it,” Lehane said. “Come on, Daddy needs a new pair of shoes.”
—Staff writer Alan J. Tabak can be reached at tabak@fas.harvard.edu.