Jennifer Connelly came close to quitting Creation.

The actress was left devastated when her dad Gerard, who had been living with her, died of cancer on the first day of filming and admits only the support of her husband, co-star Paul Bettany, got her through making the movie.

“I was very close to my father. Without having Paul on set, I don’t know if I could have done it at all.”

In the movie, Paul plays Charles Darwin, and the film follows his fight to publish his evolutionary theory, The Origin Of Species, despite it contradicting the beliefs of the Christian church and his wife Emma, played by Jennifer. The actress believes casting a married couple in the lead roles made their performances more believable.

She explained to Britain’s InStyle , “Darwin and his wife Emma knew each other since childhood. They were first cousins so the relationship I have with Paul and our degree of intimacy supported the ease and comfort our characters have with one another.”