The comedian who starred as Stu in The Hangover franchise had almost gone bankrupt—both financially and emotionally—while filming the first film. Even though the film gave Ed Helms superstardom, the actor couldn’t forget how many times he had to roll up his sleeves while shooting the film.
Helms was really tired during the movie because, first of all, he hadn’t slept for days. This was due to filming in Las Vegas, while also filming in Los Angeles for his hit comedy TV show, The Office.
He received permission to film The Hangover if he showed up for work on time. So he had to manage both shoots simultaneously. And for this, he paid for his own transportation too.
Ed Helms Almost Had to Struggle with Financial and Emotional Bankruptcy During The Hangover
The actor who played a funnyman in The Hangover trilogy told in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that his first priority at that time was The Office. So, shooting The Hangover at the time became a hectic task that almost made him bankrupt. He said:
“Just trying to close my deal was such a nightmare because NBC was in first position with my schedule. We got a really nice verbal commitment from [showrunner] Greg Daniels to cross-board all of my scenes into two days a week. I had to agree to charter my own flights, these little tiny jets, which I paid for. I’d go from Vegas to Van Nuys Airport at 4 in the morning because we were doing shoots all night, then I’d land in Van Nuys, drive to the set and shoot all day on The Office, completely Red Bull-ed out of my brain.”
Helms booked his own flights on small jets and paid for them himself. To manage both projects, he flew from Las Vegas to Van Nuys Airport at 4 a.m. after a night of shooting. After landing, he drove to the set and worked all day on The Office, which messed up his mind. But ultimately, his hard work paid off, and The Hangover became a big success in 2009.
Ed Helms’ Shift From The Office to The Hangover Was Filled With Challenges
Ed Helms chose to focus on The Office initially because he was unsure about the success of The Hangover. But, when Todd Phillips’ directed movie became a massive hit, it boosted his global popularity.
Encouraged by this success, he prioritized the third Hangover movie over The Office. And he took a break from the TV series. But the third Hangover movie (released in May 2013) didn’t perform well. It was a bolt from the blue that fetched less money at the box office than its prequels.
Whereas the final season of The Office received better reviews. It got a 79 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Though there were initial concerns about the show’s future without Steve Carell, the episode was highest rated of the year.
