As a gamer who grew up in the ’90s, I can vividly recall the impact of Natural Born Killers on my young mind. The film was a wild, chaotic ride that showcased Robert Downey Jr.’s electrifying performance as Wayne Gale. Little did I know that behind the scenes, RDJ was living his own rollercoaster ride, complete with B12 vitamins and emergency room visits.
1994 saw audiences captivated by arguably Robert Downey Jr.’s most compelling film of the entire decade, outside of Chaplin, in Oliver Stone’s intensely chaotic movie “Natural Born Killers.” Downey delivered an exhilarating over-the-top performance as tabloid TV journalist Wayne Gale, a role that matched the film’s intensity. He has also shared his experiences about being quite intoxicated during the filming process.
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Essentially, the oral history of “Natural Born Killers,” as published in Esquire, delves into several cast members being under various influences during the filming process. However, it’s the future Doctor Doom from the Marvel Cinematic Universe who appears to have faced the most challenging situations when it came to carrying out his tasks.
The Oscar-winning actor talked candidly about a worst-case, anti-FOMO scenario that formed when his decision to get ripped colldied with a filming schedule shift for the big prison interview that led to the deadly riot. As Downey put it:
On the day we conducted the prison interview, I had been out enjoying myself quite excessively, very intoxicated. Suddenly, everything on our schedule was moved forward, requiring me to be there in just two hours. The ensuing message was one of the most embarrassing notifications I’ve ever received because it concerned a seven-page scene. Upon arriving at the set, I was completely unprepared and useless. Then, I was administered what seemed like a therapeutic injection of B12 vitamins – I’ll put that in quotes to emphasize the doubt I had about its nature. To this day, those nine hours remain the most enjoyable of my life.
As a gamer, I can vouch for the fact that the “vitamin” booster he was given made quite an impact, to say the least. Back in the ’90s when I first saw Natural Born Killers, I never imagined RDJ’s prison interview could be so harrowing. The rollercoaster of his sobriety during filming lines up perfectly with Stone’s chaotic narrative, and it leaves me wondering how the story might have unfolded if Quentin Tarantino’s original screenplay were still in play.
It shows Robert Downey Jr.’s dedication and professionalism that the production didn’t need to waste an entire day of filming, as might have been necessary for other actors in similar circumstances. He further noted that despite the unexpected delay, he was well-prepared for that scene in advance.
However, I scanned the pages, arranged in a line on the floor from left to right, no more than twice, and performed without a script. Interestingly enough, this was the only time throughout the entire shoot where this occurred: You may be familiar with the applause from the crew when actors perform exceptionally well during filming. When I successfully completed that day, both me and Woody gave impressive performances, over and over again – he nailed it, I nailed it, we all nailed it. However, what they didn’t anticipate was my situation. That morning, I probably should have been in an emergency room instead of here. When they realized this, the entire crew applauded, perhaps sensing that my performance had been nothing short of miraculous.
It’s likely they felt quite tense that day, unsure about Downey and his behavior, but thankfully, everything seemed to run smoothly without any major mishaps. In some people’s thoughts, it would certainly deserve a round of applause.
Although that experience turned out well, I’d prefer not to repeat it if given the choice. So, it seems fortunate that I don’t have any upcoming Hollywood films starring Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis, though a tiny part of me wonders what might have been if I did. In other words, there’s a hint of regret lurking within.
If you’d like to catch Downey’s act again or experience it for the first time, you can stream “Natural Born Killers” right now with a Netflix subscription. For fans who appreciate Oliver Stone’s darker side, consider watching his 1981 horror film, “The Hand,” which stars Michael Caine and Andrea Marcovicci, as it’s definitely worth a watch.
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2024-09-02 04:07