In the wake of Gene Hackman’s passing, many have shared their memories of the legendary actor, reflecting on his remarkable career and presence in Hollywood.
Among those remembering him is Bill Murray, who worked with Hackman on Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. While the film remains one of Hackman’s last major roles, it wasn’t an easy experience for the veteran actor.
According to Murray, Hackman had a tough time adjusting to Wes Anderson’s directorial style. At the time, Anderson was still an up-and-coming filmmaker, and Hackman, wasn’t entirely sold on the young director’s approach.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Murray recalled stepping in to defend Anderson when things got tense:
“And he was really difficult, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy. Older, great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on them, and Gene was really rough on Wes. I used to kind of step in there and just try to defend my friend.”
But Anderson wasn’t the only source of frustration for Hackman on set. One particular scene reportedly required over two dozen takes, not because of Hackman, but because of the actor he was working alongside.
Hackman nailed every take, but the other actor kept messing up, forcing multiple retakes. Murray recalled the grueling process, saying:
“I watched him once do like 25 takes where he did it perfectly with an actor who kept blowing it every single time. Big long camera moves, panning, all this stuff.
“Gene would do it perfectly, the other actor would blow it and I’d go like, ‘Oh, God.’ I was watching it going, ‘No wonder this guy wants to throttle people.'”
Murray didn’t reveal who the struggling actor was, but given Anderson’s signature intricate shots, it’s possible the sequence was just exceptionally difficult.
Eventually, though, even Hackman had enough. After so many takes, he finally gave a performance that, while still good, wasn’t quite up to his usual standard. Ironically, on this take, the other actor finally got it right. Murray recalled Hackman’s reaction:
“And then he sort of gave an ordinary performance and the other actor got it right and I thought Gene was going to throw the actor off the ledge of the building.”
Despite the challenges, Hackman’s work in The Royal Tenenbaums was widely praised. His performance as Royal Tenenbaum won him a Golden Globe and remains one of his best and most memorable roles.
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