Importance Score: 38 / 100 🔵
Laurence Fishburne Recalls Difficult ‘Apocalypse Now’ Experience
Laurence Fishburne, widely recognized as one of the preeminent actors of his generation, recently disclosed that his journey through cinema, even in iconic productions like Apocalypse Now, has not always been seamless. In the Apple TV+ documentary, Number One on the Call Sheet, which premiered on March 28, Fishburne revealed the challenging circumstances he faced while filming Apocalypse Now as a young teenager.
Struggles with a Scene and Martin Sheen’s Support
Fishburne recounted a particularly trying experience during the filming of a scene in Apocalypse Now, which was initially omitted but later reinstated in the redux version. “There’s a sequence in Apocalypse Now that was cut from the original version, but subsequently added back into the redux,” he stated in the documentary. “I believe I was around 14 or 15 years old, attempting to perform this scene that involved discussing mature themes… specifically sex. And I lacked any real-world experience in that area.”
“Francis Coppola, the director, struggled to elicit the desired performance from me, given my limited understanding,” Fishburne elaborated. “He persisted in requesting multiple takes. We did approximately 40 attempts. It was truly uncomfortable. I could sense his disappointment, which left me feeling considerably discouraged and deflated.”
A Word of Encouragement
Fortunately, his fellow cast member, Martin Sheen, intervened with timely support. “I remember Martin Sheen whispering in my ear,” Fishburne recalled. “He asked, ‘Has anyone ever told you that you are a genuinely talented actor?’ I replied, ‘No.’ To which he responded, ‘You are a genuinely talented actor.’ For me, that epitomizes what being No.1 on the call sheet signifies. It was a moment that truly rescued me.”
Securing the Role and Subsequent Collaborations
In a 2013 interview, Fishburne confessed to having misrepresented his age to secure his role in Coppola’s 1979 cinematic masterpiece. Although his character was written to be 17, Fishburne was actually 14 at the commencement of filming, and he reached the age of 18 by the time of the film’s release.
Fishburne admitted to maintaining a reserved demeanor during his audition to project an older persona. When directly questioned about his age by producer Fred Roos, Fishburne stated he was 16, a fabrication at the time.
Following Apocalypse Now, the actor and director forged a lasting professional relationship, collaborating on several subsequent projects, including Cotton Club, Rumble Fish, and Gardens of Stone. Fishburne also appeared in Coppola’s 2024 film, Megalopolis, portraying the role of assistant and driver to Adam Driver’s character, Cesar Catalina.
Reflecting on ‘Pee-wee’s Playhouse’
In the documentary, Fishburne also reminisced about his involvement in another notable project, Pee-wee’s Playhouse. “I also ended up on Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” he mentioned. “People would frequently tease me about it, saying things like, ‘Oh my goodness, you were Cowboy Curtis!’ And my response was always, ‘Yes! That’s absolutely right!’”