In the movie The Hangover, Bradley Cooper and his group of unconventional groomsmen take viewers on a wild journey through the chaotic and vibrant world of Las Vegas. The film, which has gained a cult following due to its uproarious humor and cringe-worthy mishaps, also holds some behind-the-scenes stories that are just as entertaining.
One such anecdote, as narrated by Ed Helms, who played the role of the affable dentist, Stuart Price, aka Stu, involves a taxing night of filming that never made it to the final cut.
When Ed Helm’s Comedy Movie Met Brutal Physicality
During the filming of a scene in which Mr. Chow, played by Ken Jeong, beats up the actors and Cooper after a car crash, the actors are subjected to a grueling day of intense physical confrontation.
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In the interview with AV Club, Helms described this as his and his co-stars’, including Bradley Cooper’s, “roughest day,” as it included a car stunt and being repeatedly pulled out of a car window, all while being subjected to the choreographed violence of Hollywood fight scenes.
“Let’s see, the roughest day. Probably the night when Mr. Chow rams the car, and then they pull us out and rough us up. That whole night was really intense. We shot us getting hit by the car, and we did a lot of takes where the guys pull us out of the car—by the way, getting pulled out of a car hurts! Especially after the 10th time.
The actor further describes how wounded he was by this “painful” scene. Helms confessed that “even though you’re faking it,” it still results in “getting tossed around like a rag doll.”
My shins and knees were just beat to sh*t. They didn’t open the door and yank us out, they pulled us out the window, which is painful. This is what’s not in the movie: They beat us up. There’s a lot of punches and kicks, and even though you’re faking it, a couple things land, and with multiple takes, you’re just getting tossed around like a rag doll.”
Despite the effort, dedication, and probably tears, the physically demanding scene didn’t end up in the film’s final cut. However, it’s unclear why such an intense moment was omitted from the movie.
Bradley Cooper’s Co-star Explains How His Character Became The Emotional Center of The Movie
While The Hangover is a hilarious comedy movie, it also has a deep emotional core that revolves around Ed Helms’ character. Stu undergoes a significant transformation and is the anchor amidst a sea of comedic storms.
In the same interview with AV Club, Ed Helms shared insights into how he balanced drama with comedy by portraying authentic emotional change. At the same time, the world around him erupted in hilarity.
“I think a lot of it’s on the page, you know what I mean? It’s in the script. And I think part of what’s special about this movie is that none of the comedy comes from the characters being clever, like you see in a lot of sitcoms or movies, where the characters actually have a funny sense of humor. That’s not the case in this movie. So as an actor, you can really play the intensity and gravity and seriousness of the moment, and just rely on the circumstances being funny.”
The script played a significant role in Bradley Cooper and his co-stars’ performance. The characters’ growth and the subsequent humor arise naturally. Unlike other comedies that rely on the characters’ cleverness, The Hangover generates humor from the strange circumstances that the characters encounter.
