Difficult actors - Page 4

  One of Chuck Klosterman's essay's is about the time he interviewed Val Kilmer. He wrote that Kilmer couldn't have been nicer, but the dude was a complete weirdo. Kilmer feels that as as an actor he knows more about the kind of people he plays then they would because he has spent so much time studying them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by User_32 

 

Tom Hanks is another actor that I've never heard anything negative about. I think Leonard DiCaprio said that he's one of the few great actors who's not fucked up in some way.

I call this The Paul Newman Paradigm.

I'll mention someone who I don't recall having been brought up in this thread yet: Mike Myers. This scathing article from Entertainment Weekly four years ago gives many tidbits about how he's apparently quite difficult to work with. Allegedly being jealous of Dana Carvey and his popularity, freaking out about having margarine instead of butter on his bagel, and of course all those problems with bringing that Dieter character to the big screen... maybe that explains why he doesn't done much besides voice Shrek in recent years.

I've heard one 2nd Hand bit about Tom Hanks. Where the friend of the friend who told me the story was on the subway just zoning out and as his eyes came into focus he realized he was looking right at Hanks sitting near the door, looking right back at him. The guy's stop came up and as he walked across to the door Hanks supposedly reacted as though the dude was approaching him, and pitched a mini-fit along the lines of "Yes! I'm Tom Hanks!! I suppose you want an autograph now!??" and the guy just had to stand inches away waiting for the train to slow down and the doors to open so he could get away.

Apparently the dude hasn't liked him in anything since, but I kind of find it funny as that's a sort of Peter Parker freakout. Uncool and to the wrong person. A guy who really doesn't have much practice losing his shit.

What does this have to do with his working life? I probed for further info, and IINM this happened around the time of Bonfire of the Vanities which actually has a scene where his character is on a train in bad shape. Method? Or had the reviews come in?

Mike Myers:

Do you remember that tour he did for The Love Guru? Where he spoke less about the fucking awful movie and more about his dad (to get the viewership on-side presumably)? There was also another story he told about the genesis of the character where it was just something he was fucking around with, and would speak to his friends in the voice and give them soothing advice. But it was so effective that his friends would later phone him, stressed out about something or other, and ask him to do the guru for them.

Where the fuck is THAT movie!? That's almost like a Tootsie situation, but everyone knows he's a dude - just the character he becomes is more important to them than the reality.

I like how when you're famous you're not allowed to be grumpy for even five seconds because someone out there will remember it forever and present it as evidence that you're a dick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHjc1XmRnOM&feature=related

Wouldn't you have loved to be the first AD on this set? Malcolm seems like a nightmare.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swahili 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHjc1XmRnOM&feature=related

 

Wouldn't you have loved to be the first AD on this set? Malcolm seems like a nightmare.

And yet Rob Zombie worked with him again on that episode of CSI that he directed; apparently (via his Nerdist appearance) Rob Zombie finds his shenanigans entertaining.

I'd like to know how exactly Stuart Townsend ass-holed himself out of the role of Aragorn in LOTR.  Anybody out there who can enlighten me?  From what I heard, New Line was pretty far into pre-production before Viggo came on board.

And how, in-turn, he assholed his way into Charlize Theron's life. SOB!

If you had to choose between him and Caruso, I can't blame him for going with Malcolm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrickBurgundy 

I'd like to know how exactly Stuart Townsend ass-holed himself out of the role of Aragorn in LOTR.  Anybody out there who can enlighten me?  From what I heard, New Line was pretty far into pre-production before Viggo came on board.

He also got fired from Thor last minute.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomTastic 

If you had to choose between him and Caruso, I can't blame him for going with Malcolm.

 

Apparently, RZ got a big kick watching Malcolm fuck with David Caruso.  

Apparently, the local extras on the shooting of Fitzcarraldo did offer to Werner Herzog the opportunity to have Klaus Kinski killed if he wanted. Obviously he declined.

How is it obvious?  Maybe Kinski killed every assassin they sent at him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey 

How is it obvious?  Maybe Kinski killed every assassin they sent at him.

From what I've seen of Werner Herzog, if he really wanted someone dead, I have no doubts he could make it happen.

At this point it probably goes without saying that My Best Fiend is probably the perfect companion piece to this thread. Kinski - such a glorious nutter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul C 

I like how when you're famous you're not allowed to be grumpy for even five seconds because someone out there will remember it forever and present it as evidence that you're a dick.

I remember seeing something somewhere of "Harrison Ford is a jerk" and it was a vid of Han Solo, Ally McBeal, and their kid at the zoo - they wandered up to the exhibit, and Ford was rather tonelessly going "hey, look at that" to which their toddler didn't do much. 

A good example of "ZOMG INDIANA JONES IS BORED WITH FATHERHOOD JUST LIKE 100% OF ALL OTHER FATHERS!" 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey 

How is it obvious?  Maybe Kinski killed every assassin they sent at him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan 

 

From what I've seen of Werner Herzog, if he really wanted someone dead, I have no doubts he could make it happen.

Great historical story is Stalin let Marshall Tito take charge of Yugoslavia post-WW2, and very quickly took a dislike to what Tito was doing there. 

Now, I have no doubt that sufficiently motivated, Herzog could have you killed; Stalin had about 300 people killed before he ate breakfast. So he decided life would be better if Tito were not in charge of Yugoslavia....and Stalinist Russia didn't hand out demotions, knowhatI'msayin....

...anyhow, Stalin decided Tito needed to go, which led to the famous letter between the two:

"..stop sending people to kill me. We've already captured 5 of them...if you don't stop sending killers, I'll send one to Moscow and I won't have to send a second."

This background info is to illustrate why Herzog probably didn't try to kill Kinski - I can see a "oh, YOU want to kill ME? I'll fucking show you how to kill someone!" situation developing. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chavez 

 

I remember seeing something somewhere of "Harrison Ford is a jerk" and it was a vid of Han Solo, Ally McBeal, and their kid at the zoo - they wandered up to the exhibit, and Ford was rather tonelessly going "hey, look at that" to which their toddler didn't do much. 

 

Sounds like every interview Ford's ever given. Talk about making a mountain out of a monotone molehill.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan 

 

From what I've seen of Werner Herzog, if he really wanted someone dead, I have no doubts he could make it happen.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor Klaus

But if they had to perish twice

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction Werner

Is also great

And would suffice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chavez 

 

 

 

Great historical story is Stalin let Marshall Tito take charge of Yugoslavia post-WW2, and very quickly took a dislike to what Tito was doing there. 

 

Now, I have no doubt that sufficiently motivated, Herzog could have you killed; Stalin had about 300 people killed before he ate breakfast. So he decided life would be better if Tito were not in charge of Yugoslavia....and Stalinist Russia didn't hand out demotions, knowhatI'msayin....

 

 

...anyhow, Stalin decided Tito needed to go, which led to the famous letter between the two:

 

"..stop sending people to kill me. We've already captured 5 of them...if you don't stop sending killers, I'll send one to Moscow and I won't have to send a second."

 

 

This background info is to illustrate why Herzog probably didn't try to kill Kinski - I can see a "oh, YOU want to kill ME? I'll fucking show you how to kill someone!" situation developing. 

I seem to have drifted off point here and given the wrong (as in not relevant) answer and derailed things a bit. I'll let Wikipedia take it from here.

Klaus Kinski himself was a major source of tension, as he fought virulently with Herzog and other members of the crew; a scene from the documentary My Best Fiend depicts Kinski raging at production manager Walter Saxer over trivial matters, such as the quality of the food. Herzog notes that the native extras, contrary to Kinski's feeling of closeness to them, were greatly upset by his shows of anger. In My Best Fiend, Herzog says that one of the native chiefs offered, in all seriousness, to murder Kinski for him, but that he declined because he needed Kinski to complete filming. In one scene, when the crew is eating dinner while surrounded by the natives, the clamor the chief incites over Fitzcarraldo was, according to Herzog, his exploiting their hate of Kinski.

I should have said the main reason was (as it indeed was) that Herzog had a film to complete. Also, it's not like he solicited a hit, the opportunity was brought to him on the initiative of the locals playing extras. If some of the stories on behaviour on set are true, for those people not really knowing a comprehensive history between the two, it might have seemed like a reasonable assumption for some of a way to get in the good books with the boss.

I guess it couldn't have been all bad since they did collaborate on a number of films and even shared an apartment at one time. On the other hand, Herzog did threaten to shoot him he walked off set on one of his other movies before they were finished filming all his scenes. 

I interviewed Christian Bale once. It was a round-table discussion for Reign of Fire and he was... really nice! Articulate, funny and polite. And I'm secure enough in my hetrosexuality to say the man is RIPPED! At least 6'2 and built like a tank.

I was also at public interviews for some of the people mentioned here. Joel Schumacher said of Val Kilmer "I'm not saying this to be funny, but he belongs in a nuthouse." He also described how they came close to punching one another in Val's trailer.

Stuart Townsend and Charlise Theron did a public Q&A for Townsend's (not bad) directorial debut, Battle in Seattle at the Dublin Film Festival a few years ago. He seemed really pleasant and smart. According to some reports, Jackson admitted that the Aragorn thing was own fault - he should've never cast Townsend in that role to begin with.

Someone I know worked with Janeane Garafalo once years ago and described her as a "bitch on wheels". Supposedly, she wouldn't start filming until she had some specific flavour of Starbucks coffee (the shoot was in the middle of nowhere, so someone had to go traipsing off to find a Starbucks). It reminds me of the "or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage" story from Wayne's World 2.

A friend of my sister went to college in the UK with Tom Hanks' daughter. By all accounts, he's a lovely man who insists on not spoiling his kids.

Saving Private Ryan and Braveheart were largely shot in Ireland and I know some of the extras for each of them (many of whom I went to school with). Gibson was really well-liked by the extras, even hanging out on smoke breaks with them the odd time. On Private Ryan, Tom Sizemore was said to be super-difficult and attention-seeking.

Found this:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/exclusive_renny_harlin_talks_making_5_days_of_war_long_kiss_goodnight_2#

Kilmer requires that you're either a fast-thinking optimist or Tony Scott.

The impression I get from Bale is that he just wants to knuckle down and do his job and expects everyone else to do the same. His famous Terminator rant was OTT, but by most accounts the guy he was targeting really wasn't being very professional. And the rest of the time he just wants to be left to mind his own business. I think that's on the more respectable end of the 'difficult' scale.

"Doesn't suffer fools" + "we became great friends" = "Movie I didn't even know existed"

Sounds like you need to get in a serious shitfest with him to get anything of note.  From all accounts Tombstone was a gigantic mess, but he was amazing. Maybe he just sat back and directed himself while everyone else had the fights over bubble baths.

I would have loved to see him pull a Bubble Bath level "idea" on Kurt Russell. Kurt's an old Disney boy - he'll kill your fucking dog to get the scene he wants (Joking!!).

"Someone I know worked with Janeane Garafalo once years ago and described her as a "bitch on wheels". Supposedly, she wouldn't start filming until she had some specific flavour of Starbucks coffee (the shoot was in the middle of nowhere, so someone had to go traipsing off to find a Starbucks)." = Catering Coffee + Steaming Serve of Hot Piss in a Starbucks Cup found in a skip.

Janeane Garafalo isn't worth that sort of bullshit. Meryl Streep gets the Starbucks she wants, and gets to stab the co-star of her choice (Not Joking...she's craaazy).

Quote:

Originally Posted by chon 

Stuart Townsend and Charlise Theron did a public Q&A for Townsend's (not bad) directorial debut, Battle in Seattle at the Dublin Film Festival a few years ago. He seemed really pleasant and smart. According to some reports, Jackson admitted that the Aragorn thing was own fault - he should've never cast Townsend in that role to begin with.

 

For having been fired from a role that would've changed his life and career (as it did Viggo's), Townsend seems remarkably unbitter about it.  I've seen a few quotes where he said he felt he was mistreated (something about New Line being very slow in coughing up his salary for the months of training before filming started, which doesn't sound atypical), but it was pretty mild given the loss of the role of a lifetime.  All the actors on Battle in Seattle spoke very highly of him. 

I actually feel bad for Townsend - he's extremely handsome, charismatic, a fair enough actor, and a surprisingly good director.  But wow, talk about signing up for some shit movies.  Poor Taylor Kitsch seems to be following suit.  And then Charlize Theron dumps him after 9 years?  Reports had him retreating home to Ireland absolutely devastated. 

Just finished reading a book on James Cameron, and in the chapter dedicated to TITANIC, it talks about Cameron working with Dicaprio early on in the casting phase.

It basically said that the studio wanted Leo, but Cameron didn't like him because he kept trying to "beef up" the character, by adding a limp or an addiction or something of that nature (Leo didn't seem interested in playing a straight-laced guy).  So Cameron pulled him aside one day and basically said the equivalent of "I don't like you. I think you're wrong for the part. You're so used to playing addicts and retards that you're looking for a crutch to lean on as an actor, whereas I'm looking for an all-American, sweet-natured, do-gooder type, the kind of role that Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gable would play."  

Needless to say, Leo listened. Not calling Leo a particularly difficult actor, but I always liked that story. 

"Sweet-natured do-gooder" is not the first thing I think of re: Gable or Bogart (pre-War Cooper or Stewart, maybe), but that's a good point about behavioral tics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hexum 

Just finished reading a book on James Cameron, and in the chapter dedicated to TITANIC, it talks about Cameron working with Dicaprio early on in the casting phase.

 

It basically said that the studio wanted Leo, but Cameron didn't like him because he kept trying to "beef up" the character, by adding a limp or an addiction or something of that nature (Leo didn't seem interested in playing a straight-laced guy).  So Cameron pulled him aside one day and basically said the equivalent of "I don't like you. I think you're wrong for the part. You're so used to playing addicts and retards that you're looking for a crutch to lean on as an actor, whereas I'm looking for an all-American, sweet-natured, do-gooder type, the kind of role that Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gable would play."  

 

Needless to say, Leo listened. Not calling Leo a particularly difficult actor, but I always liked that story. 

Also, Leo was what, 18, when he starting filming.  I can forgive someone being "difficult" at 18 years old, esp. with a well-known slavedriver like Cameron.

Supposedly, Titanic was the first time Cameron's temper never crossed over to his actors. He reserved that for the crew.

He was actually 23 years old, with at least three to four critically-acclaimed performances under his belt(Gilbert Grape, Basketball Diaries, Marvin's Room, Romeo and Juliet)... Not exactly a lightweight*

*I really felt like Walter from Big Lebowksi while typing that. "Our fucking troubles are over".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hexum 

 "... I think you're wrong for the part. You're so used to playing addicts and retards that you're looking for a crutch to lean on as an actor, whereas I'm looking for an all-American, sweet-natured, do-gooder type, the kind of role that Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gable would play."  

 

I think James Cameron needs to have that same talk with about 75% of all actors.

Anyone ever hear about the beef between Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss on the set of JAWS?   Dreyfuss had just wrapped some movie that was getting rave reviews(or at least his performance was), and Shaw became angered when Dreyfuss was showing the reviews off to people on set.

Apparently he was piss-ass drunk the night they did the USS Indianapolis scene, and personally asked Spielberg the next day if he could give it another (sober) shot.

But it's not like Dreyfuss is all sunshine and rainbows to get along with either.

Uh, didn't Cameron still do dickish things like telling Leo and Kate the water was going to be warmer than it actually was? Granted, not the same thing as "losing your temper" with the actors, but that certainly brings to mind some of his earlier set behavior (almost killing Ed Harris on The Abyss, for instance).

Ah. I just remember hearing that Harris walked away from that all pissed off and punching out Cameron.

I know he had some disagreements with Sigourney Weaver on where her character should be going in Aliens, but I can't say I've heard any other horror stories about that set or either Terminator movie. Feel free to enlighten me.

In his defense, actors like Weaver have said that for all Cameron can put his cast and crew through, he's willing to put himself through the same shit as well.  Knowing what he's done outside of his film work, I can believe that Cameron is a guy who expects a lot but also expects a lot from himself too.

Good to see some of that cleared up.

Does anybody remember the stories about Paul Thomas Anderson and Burt Reynolds clashing in Boogie Nights. i seem to remember hearing from someone they almost got into a  fist fight.  Also while I'm sure they got along i always remember listening to the Boogie Nights commentary with Mark Whalberg and thinking he was acting like a total dick.

If you're gonna bring up Cameron and THE ABYSS (THE ABUSE, as it was apparently referred to on set), you have to bring up Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.  She flat out hates Cameron for what she had to put up with on the set of that film.  She apparently lost it during the resuscitation scene when she was doing her part and the camera ran out of film.  

Not to derail the thread, but to touch on what Draco said, an example of Cameron going 100% was in T2 with the helicopter stun during the freeway chase.  The pilot refused to fly under the bridge, until Cameron suggested that he would be riding shotgun with him in the chopper, holding the fucking camera. Used the same tactic to convince Jamie Lee Curtis to do the chopper stunt in TRUE LIES.. Not trying to change the thread to "Difficult Director's", though.  

Wasn't there a story about Tom Cruise and John Woo clashing heavily on MI:2? Cruise being one of the producers?   

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hexum 

Not trying to change the thread to "Difficult Director's", though.  

If we did, though, David O. Russell would probably own the thread.