Willem Dafoe’s name is up there with some of Hollywood’s most versatile stars. In a successful career spanning many decades, the Spider-Man actor has an impressive repertoire of films that have made him a prominent star to reckon with in the industry. From his Oscar-nominated role in Platoon to his menacing presence as the Green Goblin in Spider-Man, the actor has done the gamut of characters.
Apart from interesting trivia regarding the origin of his name, there are many intriguing facts about Willem Dafoe that are unknown to viewers. One such incident involved the actor faking a particular skill to ensure that he got a part in a movie that was the debut film of Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow.
Willem Dafoe Lied About Knowing To Ride A Bike In The Loveless
In 1981, Hollywood star Willem Dafoe bagged his second starring role in The Loveless, a story about a gang of bikers in Southern America. The film which was the directorial debut of The Hurt Locker director, Kathryn Bigelow, naturally required Dafoe to possess the skill of riding a bike with ease. The Platoon star who had never ridden a motorcycle upto that point, was desperate not to lose the role on account of his weakness. The actor, in a desperate effort to be part of the movie, took an impulsive decision.
“I don’t want to lose the part, so they say, have you ever ridden a motorcycle? Of course, classically, what does an actor do? They lie.”
The lie though, came back to haunt Dafoe as he realized that he would be riding a giant of a motorcycle in the 1955 Harley Hog. The actor then went on to do damage control by trying to understand the nuances of bike riding in a short time. Despite many false starts and failures, Dafoe ultimately conquered the skill for the film thanks to a patient director and crew.
Willem Dafoe Fell Seriously Sick During Platoon
In 1986, Willem Dafoe starred in Oliver Stone’s blockbuster hit Platoon, a hard hitting narrative about American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Dafoe’s powerful performance as Sergeant Elias earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination that year. The veteran actor though, went through some tough times during the filming including falling very ill on set along with other cast members owing to contaminated water. Recalling his experience, the actor said,
“I filled my canteen up and put these pills in — you know, purify the water, supposedly — shook it up. We walk about 50 yards upstream from where we were — I collected the water downstream, remember. There was a big, fat, dead pig in the water. We got back, I was delirious for like, 24 hours.”
Despite enduring a lot of hardships as a result of his sickness, Dafoe powered through with determination and ensured that he along with his co-stars made Platoon a cult classic that is still watched by many viewers.
Source: YouTube
