Editing Leaving Las Vegas (section)

===Casting===
Figgis encouraged the lead actors to experience their characters' ordeals first-hand by extensive research. He told ''Film Critic'': "It was just a week and a half of rehearsal. A lot of conversations. A lot of communication in the year before we made the film. Reading the book. I encouraged them [Cage and Shue] to do their own research, which they wanted to do anyway, and then ultimately the three of us got together and just started talking...talking about anything, not necessarily about the film or the script, about anything that came up."<ref name="Film Critic: Mike Figgis" /> Cage did research by [[binge drinking]] in Dublin for two weeks and had a friend videotape him so he could study his speech. He also visited hospitalized chronic alcoholics.<ref name="wenn">{{cite web |date=August 9, 2000 |title=Cage Did Serious Research For Alcoholic Role |url=https://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2000-08-09#celeb5 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040705213238/https://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2000-08-09 |archive-date=July 5, 2004 |access-date=December 9, 2006 |work=WENN}}</ref> He said "it was one of the most enjoyable pieces of research I've ever had to do for a part."<ref name="wenn" /> Shue spent time interviewing several Las Vegas prostitutes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1996-02-12 |title='Vegas' Stars Cage, Shue Ponder Chances for Oscar |work=Sun-Sentinel |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1996-02-12-9602090533-story.html |url-status=dead |access-date=2022-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621043917/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1996-02-12-9602090533-story.html |archive-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref>