“Chaos on the Set: Why Oliver Stone Feared Robert Downey Jr. Could Sabotage ‘Natural Born Killers’ with One Bold Move”
Added on August 31, 2024 inFree Entertainment News
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Ever wonder what it’s like to have Robert Downey Jr. on a movie set? Well, grab a seat, because things get wild. We’re talking about the RDJ who’s got more charisma than anyone else in the room—whether he’s sober, buzzed, or somewhere in between . Now, let’s travel back to 1994, when he was fresh off his Oscar-nominated role in *Chaplin* but decided to dive headfirst into Oliver Stone’s explosively controversial film, *Natural Born Killers* .
Imagine this: you’re Oliver Stone, known for your hard-hitting, no-nonsense style. You’ve got an actor who’s basically a laughing alchemist, turning even the most serious moments into something dangerously hilarious . That’s RDJ playing Wayne Gale, a hyperbolic TV journalist who could exploit a criminal faster than you can say “junkie news anchor.” He was perfect for the role—almost too perfect, in fact .
But here’s the kicker—Stone, with all his legendary patience, almost lost his marbles dealing with Downey Jr.’s antics . Yup, RDJ nearly derailed the tone of the entire film with one over-the-top (and NSFW) improvisation . Picture it: a fake blood-soaked “Iron Man” moment involving an unzipped fly . Stone wasn’t having it. “Oh, come on—that’s too much!” Stone hollered. He might as well have been yelling into the Hollywood void. “You’re ruining my movie! Forget the dumb d*ck idea.” That’s a director with a vision, folks. But anyone who’s seen *Natural Born Killers* is probably thinking, “Wait—too much? In this film?” Exactly .
Despite all the craziness on set, *Natural Born Killers* has become a cult classic, and RDJ’s performance is one of the brightest stars in its chaotic sky, though maybe not the most memorable (Rodney Dangerfield holds that crown) . RDJ himself admitted that the only time he felt alive was between “Action” and “Cut.” And as for Woody Harrelson? He didn’t claim the moral high ground—he earned it by being the guy doing the *least* amount of drugs on set, a title he’s never worn before or since. You can practically hear him laughing as he recalls, “I was Mother Teresa on this one.”
So, as *Natural Born Killers* celebrates its 30th anniversary, there’s no better time than now to dust off that DVD (or stream it—come on, it’s 2023) and remember the insanity that made it both cringe-worthy and iconic.
Curious to know more about RDJ’s antics and how Oliver Stone navigated that minefield? **[LEARN MORE](https://www.joblo.com/oliver-stone-thoughts-downey-jr-s-on-set-antics-would-ruin-the-tone-of-natural-born-killers/)**
Robert Downey Jr. has the power to steal any scene he wants. Just take one look at his surprise SDCC appearance this summer and you get an idea of what we mean. But this is nothing new, and one of the best examples of this is 1994’s Natural Born Killers, in which he played Wayne Gale, the personification of exploiting criminals to the point of cult status. It’s undoubtedly one of the standout performances in Natural Born Killers (although I would pick Rodney Dangerfield’s as the most memorable), but according to Oliver Stone, he almost ruined the entire film.
By most accounts, Downey Jr. was rarely sober on the set of Natural Born Killers, but on one particular day, he happened to be completely straight. But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t get out of control to the point of pissing off his director. In one instance, he dipped his shirt tail in fake blood and pulled it through his unzipped pants, making it his own bloody “iron man”, to which Stone responded, “Oh come on—that’s too much! You’re going too far, Robert…You’re ruining my movie! Forget the dumb dick idea. This isn’t…This isn’t some slapstick bullsh*t.” Except, anyone who has seen Natural Born Killers knows just how over-the-top it gets (even Woody Harrelson considers it a romantic comedy)…But Stone would eventually meet in the middle (or thereabouts…), telling Downey Jr. to pull the shirt tail back in half an inch.
When cameras rolled on Natural Born Killers, Downey Jr. was fresh off of an Oscar nomination for Chaplin but still had his share of troubles going on, telling Esquire (in a terrific new piece recounting the making of Natural Born Killers), “The only time I was awake…was between Action and Cut.” Woody Harrelson, who played Mickey to Juliette Lewis’ Mallory, recounted, “I don’t want to say I was the moral center on this movie, but I was the one doing the least amount of drugs! Which is—it’s never happened in my career or my life. And no one’s ever done more drugs than me, but I was Mother Teresa on this one.”
Natural Born Killers celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, so there’s really no better way to celebrate than to revisit the film and rewatch our episode of WTF Happened to This Movie?! (we know, it’s not about us…).
Are you a fan of Natural Born Killers? What is the standout scene for you?
The post Oliver Stone thoughts Downey Jr.’s on-set antics would ruin the tone of Natural Born Killers appeared first on JoBlo.
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