Bill Murray Recalls ‘Tough Nut’ Gene Hackman Being ‘Really Rough’ on Wes Anderson on ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ Set: ‘I Sympathize’ Because ‘To Him, Wes Was Just a Punk Kid’

by

On Thursday, I shared some heartfelt thoughts about my “The Royal Tenenbaums” co-star, Gene Hackman. He was an incredibly talented individual, truly brilliant in his craft. However, let me tell you, he could be quite a challenge to work with – a tough nut, as they say. Director Wes Anderson found him particularly difficult, I believe, due to his rough demeanor on set.

On Wednesday, the Oscar-winning actor, famous for “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven,” was discovered deceased in his Santa Fe residence, along with his wife Betsy Arakawa and their pet dog. The authorities have classified their deaths as “suspicious” and are presently investigating the matter.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Murray stated that Gene Hackman was a challenging individual, yet incredibly talented. He was tough, as we can now admit, but also a formidable man. Older actors often don’t offer young directors many opportunities, and they can be quite harsh towards them. Wes, in particular, experienced this rough treatment from Gene. I would occasionally intervene to protect my friend during those times.

In the 2001 comedy-drama that boosted Wes Anderson’s directing career, Hackman portrayed Royal O’Reilly Tenenbaum as the family head. This was one of Anderson’s third directorial ventures; at the time of its debut, he was 32 years old. Frequent collaborator Murray took on the role of Raleigh St. Clair, a neurologist who married Margot (played by Gwyneth Paltrow), Royal’s daughter.

Murray stated that on one occasion, Hackman performed approximately 25 takes flawlessly, while the other actor struggled and made mistakes during each take.

Gene nailed it flawlessly, the other actor would mess up, and I’d react, ‘Oh, my goodness.’ While watching, I couldn’t help but think, ‘That’s why this person wants to lose their temper.’ But then Gene delivered a routine performance, while the other actor got it right, making me fear that Gene might push the actor off the building in frustration.

During his interview on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” Murray added more details to his earlier remarks, expressing to the host that he empathized with Hackman while working on “The Royal Tenenbaums.

I can understand why Gene felt frustrated since he admires Wes Anderson immensely but regarded him as a young, rebellious filmmaker initially. However, he had to collaborate with children, dogs, and Kumar Pallana, who was quite enigmatic, making the work experience difficult. This added burden left him questioning his place in the project. Yet, the performance he delivers is exceptional. I empathized with him as I witnessed his struggles.

When Barrymore inquired about whether Hackman eventually grew fond of the movie after viewing the concluding version, Murray indicated that he thought he did.

He wasn’t uneducated; he was quite intelligent. Upon watching the film, his response was, ‘I must have come across as a fool.’ I imagine that was the case because when you watch a film like that, it’s truly remarkable.” Murray commented. “Wes Anderson and Gene Hackman both create outstanding movies. If you put them together in one place, what would result is an excellent production.

Murray concluded his tribute with: “So goodbye, Gene, I hope you’re well wherever you are.”

Watch Murray’s full interview on “The Drew Barrymore Show” below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Drew Barrymore Show (@thedrewbarrymoreshow)

Read More

2025-02-28 14:47