Wes Anderson on Working with Gene Hackman: “I Was Too Scared to Ask Him for Help”

Wes Anderson has never been one to shy away from casting iconic actors in his films, many of whom have delivered some of their most memorable performances under his direction.

One of those actors was Gene Hackman, who played Royal Tenenbaum in the 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums.

In a new interview with Insider, Anderson reflected on his experience working with Hackman, saying that he was too intimidated to ask the actor for help when filming their scene together.

“It was terrifying, frankly,” Anderson said. “You know, I hardly knew him — we had met a few times and talked for maybe five minutes.

“I barely knew anything about him, and certainly didn’t know what he thought of me. So, I was too scared to ask him for help, which I kind of wish I had, but maybe he wouldn’t have helped me anyway. He’s sort of a mythical figure.”

Hackman reportedly was not fond of Anderson when the two first met, believing that the director was “a cocky little bastard.”

This initial perception changed after Hackman read the script for The Royal Tenenbaums and accepted the role; he and Anderson developed a mutual respect for one another.

That respect seemingly remained on Anderson’s part, as he spoke highly of Hackman in the interview, calling him “extraordinary” and “a legend.”

“He was very serious about not wanting to do a lot of takes, and I was fine with that,” Anderson said. “Whatever he wanted, I would have gone along with that. I was just happy to have him in the movie.”

Hackman appeared in The Royal Tenenbaums alongside fellow iconic actors Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, and Owen Wilson.

He delivered one of the film’s most memorable lines, telling his daughter, “You have stolen my heart, Pagoda.”

Despite Hackman’s initial reservations about working with Anderson, the director seems to have a fondness for the experience and the actor himself.

Anderson’s latest film, Asteroid City, recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, marking his return to cinema since 2019’s The French Dispatch.

It remains to be seen whether Hackman will make a similar comeback anytime soon.