The Exorcist (film) shot that obscured his face, as Friedkin felt that Vandis's face would be connected with his previous role in the Woody Allen film "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)". Vandis had previously played Milos Stavros, an Armenian shepherd who was in love with a sheep. Warners had approached Arthur Penn, Stanley Kubrick, and Mike Nichols, to direct, all of whom turned the project down. Originally Mark Rydell was hired to direct, but William Peter Blatty insisted on Friedkin instead, because he wanted his film to have the same energy as Friedkin's previous film,
Woody Allen Cavett Show", Allen repeated his comments and said he had been sued for "$1 million." Allen married Louise Lasser in 1966. They divorced in 1970. Lasser appeared in three Allen films shortly before and after the divorce—"Take the Money and Run", "Bananas", and "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)"—and later briefly appeared in "Stardust Memories". In 1969 Allen cast Diane Keaton in his Broadway show, "Play It Again, Sam." During the run she and Allen became romantically involved. Although they broke up after a year, she continued to star in his films, including