Directors love things to be exactly as they envisioned. Sets, lighting, and exact camera movements can make or break a scene. If things go slightly off the rails, there could be hell to pay.
For Wes Anderson, he lost his cool over Luke Wilson’s suit length.
The Royal Tenenbaums celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Tribeca Film Festival by having a virtual reunion. Cast members Alec Baldwin, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Anjelica Huston came together to reminisce, and one of the biggest things to emerge from the discussion was that Anderson lost his temper during the making of the film only once. It had to do with the length of the cuffs on Luke Wilson’s suit.
Naturally, Anderson realized he might have overreacted.
Luke Wilson said that Anderson kept raising the level of the cuff until it was too high for Wilson’s taste. Wilson motioned to the tailor to lower it when Anderson wasn’t looking. This went on for a while until Anderson had enough of the game.
Anderson later apologized for raising his voice and stated, “I don’t think there was any need for it. I think there’s something to be said for, 'Is the actor comfortable with what you’re putting them in?’ And then 90 percent of the time we framed you above the waist anyway.”
BTS on 'The Royal Tenenbaums'Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
To be fair, Anderson was probably under a lot of pressure with The Royal Tenenbaums. Coming off the success of Bottle RocketandRushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums was the biggest film that Anderson had worked on at that point. But stress doesn’t give any director, even Anderson, a pass to lose their temper because something isn’t how they want it to be.
If your actor is uncomfortable with something, then let them feel comfortable enough to tell you. Creating any film is a group effort. When someone is uncomfortable and not confident in their performance for whatever reason, allow for a little wiggle room to make the space comfortable for them.
What do you think about losing your temper on set? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: IndieWire
