Arlene Silver reveals husband Dick Van Dyke's dancing shoes became a point of contention on set ofMary Poppins Returns The legendary actor performed a dance routine in the 2018 film Silver says she had to convince costume designer Colleen Atwood to let Van Dyke wear his own shoes Dick Van Dykestole the show in Disney's 2018Mary Poppins Returnswith aspirited dance sequencethat reminded audiences of his timeless charm and boundless energy. Reprising his role of Mr. Dawes Jr. in the magical world of Cherry Tree Lane, Van Dyke's performance was a nostalgic celebration of his enduring legacy —54 years after the original filmcame out. During the third annual Vandy Camp event in Malibu, Calif., last month, his wifeArlene Silvershared behind-the-scenes stories and recounted a dispute with legendary costume designerColleen Atwood, 76, over the shoes her husband wore during his iconic dance. "I have a great story about that dance sequence," Silver shared. "So he was 92, I think, when he did that movie. And I'm with him with everything. I help him rehearse. I do everything for him." Jay Maidment/Walt Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock Silver has beenby her husband's sidesince their first meeting at the SAG Awards in 2006. After tying the knot in 2012, she's been helping him rehearse and advocate for what he needs to perform at his best. "So the costumer, Colleen Atwood, very like Academy Award-winning costume designer, she was adamant about him wearing these period-accurate shoes," she shares. Silver says Van Dyke, now 99, was ready to dance – but only in his trusted jazz shoes, noting that the footwear became "a real…pushing point." "He said, 'I am not going to be able to dance in those,'" Silver, 53, recalled, referring to her husband's firm stance on the shoes Atwood wanted him to wear for the film. Disney Silver had her husband's back, telling Atwood that "he can't dance with those heavy shoes. He needs the light jazz shoes." In the end, the couple "won" the spat after Silver suggested the use of CGI to fix the issue. "No one's looking at his shoes, they're looking at him," she recalled telling Atwood and her team. While they could change the look of the shoes in post-production, Silver emphasized that Van Dyke's dance was all him. During the scene, she says the had planned several ways for Van Dyke to step onto the desk – some involving staff, some involving props – but he turned them all down. Disney "He said, 'No, no, no, I want to do it, the hardest one.' And he did," she revealed. "That is him. That is not CGI." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Seven years later and Van Dyke has no intention of slowing down. Back in April, hetold PEOPLE exclusivelythat he still wants to win an Academy Award one day. Although that comes with hard work, he admitted: "I love what I do for a living." Apart from winning five Primetime Emmy Awards, Van Dyke also has a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical forBye Bye Birdieand a Grammy Award for Best Children's Album forMary Poppins(shared with the cast). Winning an Oscar would earn him theprestigious EGOT status. Read the original article onPeople
