Horror films are known for constantly pushing the boundaries of entertainment and revealing surprising behind-the-scenes details that captivate viewers. One particularly shocking secret revolves around the Bernard Rose horror classic Candyman, which supposedly refused to cast Eddie Murphy.
Thirty-one years have passed since Virginia Madsen was gripped with fear in the 1992 horror cult classic when Tony Todd (Candyman) said, ‘Be my victim’. However, did you know that she was allegedly attacked by real bees rather than using any CGI effects?
In addition, Candyman and Todd appear to be a match made in heaven, or at least one that was bound to happen. But, initially, Eddie Murphy, the famous comedian and actor, was cast as Candyman. However, the casting decision differed due to the Vampire in Brooklyn actor’s height.
Virginia Madsen Reportedly Got Attacked By Real Bees In Candyman
The movie followed skeptic Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) as she investigated an urban legend in the Cabrini-Green housing project in Chicago. She found the Candyman (Tony Todd), a man carrying a hook who the locals believe to be the murderer of a recent victim. She soon started to sense that these rumors might be true.
What, though, was more terrifying than the myth itself? The bees. 200,000 of them were actually used in the most famous scene in the movie, where Candyman leaned down to kiss Helen and a swarm of bees fell out of his mouth. Madsen confirmed to ET that, unlike today’s heavily computer-generated imagery films, practical effects were used to complete the scene. She further added:
“The bees had their own trailer. It doesn’t really make you feel confident when there’s a big net cage set up around our scene to protect the crew and an ambulance standing by.”
Prior to Madsen asking, “You got stung how many times?” Tony Todd made a quick observation:
“The bees were the worst nemesis. I had a great lawyer at the time and we got paid.”
Todd received an estimated $1,000 for each bee sting thanks to a clause in his contract. He recalled:
“So I didn’t mind it, I’m going like, ‘Bring it on!’ And it only totaled to 27 [stings].”
Filming the sequence was made even riskier by the Dune actress’ fatal allergy to bees. She confessed:
“That’s why they had the paramedics on the set, which didn’t make me feel very confident. But the bees that were on me were baby bees so they can sting but they said they are less likely to..”
Was Eddie Murphy The First Choice To Play Candyman?
In his many years as a prominent figure on the silver screen, Eddie Murphy has explored many different roles. These have ranged from acting as the lead in comedies to lending his voice to well-known films. With the exception of terrifyingly awful films like the $35 million Vampire in Brooklyn, he has never ventured into the horror genre. However, that would have almost changed if Candyman’s makers had had a change of heart.
Eddie Murphy was the initial choice, according to ScreenRant, to portray the title role of Candyman. Well, his reasons for turning it down are widely speculated upon, ranging from his height to the proposed salary. According to the report (via ScreenRant), his height was a deciding factor. At 5′ 9″, he is just four inches taller than Virginia Madsen, who portrayed the lead character, Helen Lyle.
Even though there are a lot of questions about Murphy’s ability to play this role, Tony Todd’s performance as Candyman made it difficult to be overly depressed about the loss.
Candyman opened to a strong critical reception and made over $25 million in the US, where it was also recognized as a modern horror film classic by some critics. Two sequels, Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999) and Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), came after it.
You can stream Candyman on Peacock Premium.
