Kathleen Turner Unloads on Cliquey 'Friends' Cast, 'Difficult' Nicolas Cage, in Epic Interview
Bow to Kathleen Turner for setting a new IDGAF standard.
The 64-year-old Oscar nominee just got as candid as it gets in her fabulous Q&A with Vulture.
Turner earned her Academy Award nomination for "Peggy Sue Got Married," and shared a few behind-the-scenes stories on the film. Francis Ford Coppola directed the 1986 comedy, and cast his nephew Nicolas Cage. Maybe that's why Coppola was so lenient with Cage, but Turner was clearly not a fan:
I have another question about actors and their choices: When you show up on set, like you did for 'Peggy Sue Got Married,' and realize that Nicolas Cage has decided to play his part with such an unusual voice — that he was doing a thing — how did that affect how you calibrated your performance?
It was tough to not say, “Cut it out.” But it wasn’t my job to say to another actor what he should or shouldn’t do. So I went to [director] Francis [Ford Coppola]. I asked him, “You approved this choice?” It was very touchy. He [Nicolas Cage] was very difficult on set. But the director allowed what Nicolas wanted to do with his role, so I wasn’t in a position to do much except play with what I’d been given. If anything, it [Cage’s portrayal] only further illustrated my character’s disillusionment with the past. The way I saw it was, yeah, he was that a**hole.
Sorry, Nicolas Cage or his character?
Listen, I made it work, honey.
"Listen, I made it work, honey" has to be a line in the next season of "Queer Eye" or there is no justice.
Turner also revealed that she got Coppola to move the camera in a shot because she dreamed of where it should be. He didn't believe her at first, but ultimately used the shot from her camera choice.
Turner let loose on just about everyone, from Elizabeth Taylor to her "terrible" time working with Burt Reynolds. She also dished on Old Hollywood guys like Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty treating her like "property to be claimed," and fired this shot against a mystery actress:
"Certainly in terms of film, there is intense pressure to repeat successful characters. I’ll give you an example, but you mustn’t include her name. [Very famous Hollywood actress] has played the same role for 20 years. She even looks pretty much the same. She’s probably one of the richest women out there, but I would shoot myself if I were like that, only giving people what they expect."
So fans are now speculating on the "Very famous Hollywood actress" in question.
And then there's her take on the "Friends" cast, which wasn't flattering:
You’ve done a handful of television. To pick one show you guest-starred on: What stands out about your experience on Friends?
I’ll be quite honest, which is my wont: I didn’t feel very welcomed by the cast. I remember I was wearing this difficult sequined gown — and my high heels were absolutely killing me. I found it odd that none of the actors thought to offer me a seat. Finally it was one of the older crew members that said, “Get Miss Turner a chair.” The Friends actors were such a clique — but I don’t think my experience with them was unique. I think it was simply that they were such a tight little group that nobody from the outside mattered.
How did you find them as actors and actresses?
I won’t comment on that.That’s where you draw a line?
[Laughs.] Maybe if I’d had months to work with them, I’d be in a better position to evaluate their skill. But I could only judge based on the period I worked on the show, which wasn’t long. I do respect the camaraderie they had. You can see camaraderie on the screen. When I did 'Body Heat' with Larry Kasdan and Bill Hurt, we rehearsed significantly before shooting and there was a familiarity before the camera rolled. You see it in the film.
Read the whole interview for so much more. So many names dropped and shade thrown. Give this beautiful diva a podcast, a Netflix series, and whatever else she wants.
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