Kevin Bacon is one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood who has had the golden perks of working with some of the most talented directors in the film industry on their blockbuster projects, which have helped him display his skills and cement his top-shelf spot in showbiz. Bacon is intensely passionate about his art and craft, for he demonstrates each of his on-screen characters with nuance and effortlessly, leaving fans starstruck with his inescapable depictions.
The legendary actor has appeared in dozens of iconic movies like Murder in the First, a 1995 American legal drama directed by Marc Rocco, in which he played the role of Henri Young. In a previous interview, the 65-year-old star revealed that he nearly had a nervous breakdown while working on this project and encountered several other challenges that reportedly left him utterly exhausted.
Kevin Bacon Had a Nervous Breakdown While Filming His Movie Murder in the First
Kevin Bacon is one of the most hardworking actors in Hollywood who has proved his versatility as an artist by working on genre-busting projects. The actor has legions of fans worldwide who admire his contribution to the film industry, for he has built an impressive filmography with his dedication and devotion.
However, acting jobs are challenging, and demonstrating complex characters is not easy, as it often leaves the actors mentally exhausted. Bacon once revealed how he had a nervous breakdown while filming his 1995 legal drama film Murder in the First. As reported by IMDb, the award-winning star once shared that he nearly had a meltdown on the set of this flick, claiming, “It was a horrible experience.” As per IMDb, the actor shared his experience working on this project, saying,
“It was one of the spookiest jobs I’ve ever had, but Alcatraz was not the problem. Most of the film was done in L.A. I’m in this four-by-six cell–wet, naked, covered in shit, live bugs in my hair, live rats chewing on my leg, chained to the walls for a lot of it. Being beaten by Gary Oldman; of course, I can’t think of anyone I would rather be beaten by.”
He continued,
“One day, it was four-thirty on a Monday morning, we’d been working all night, and the ground started shaking. We were right near the epicenter. It was a horrible experience. Here I was, n*ked, shackled in this cell, and just every day playing some new level of agony. It was the closest I’d ever come to losing it. I’d cry on the way to work.”
Kevin Bacon, who convincingly played the role of Henri Young in the titular legal drama and won critical acclaim, claimed that the terrible working conditions and playing this challenging part left him exhausted, and he nearly had a nervous breakdown on the set. However, the actor enjoyed getting beaten by his co-star Gary Oldman, who depicted the role of Milton Glenn.
Kevin Bacon Reveals the Challenges He Endured While Working on This Movie
Throughout his storied career, Kevin Bacon has played many influential, challenging, complex characters on the silver screen, many of which have become fan favorites. However, he once revealed that playing the role of Henri Young in his 1995 American legal drama film Murder in the First was quite challenging, for which he reportedly had wished to receive Oscar consideration.
As reported by IMDb, Bacon once opened up about his experience depicting this intriguing role, saying,
“One of the hardest things I’ve ever done, emotionally and physically. Lost a bunch of weight, was covered in bugs and rats and filth every day, was naked for a lot of it. And we lived through the Northridge quake, one of the worst in California history. I’d be shackled and naked and then [feel] these tremors.”
The Loverboy movie star continued,
“It put me in a very dark place. I was a little bit nuts. The only chance in hell this movie had was for some kind of Oscar consideration, so I begged Warner Bros. to put it out on one screen before the end of the year. They released the movie in January. I got screwed.”
Marc Rocco-directed movie boasts a stellar cast ensemble featuring Christian Slater, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, Embeth Davidtz, Brad Dourif, William H. Macy, and R. Lee Ermey. The movie received mixed reviews from the audience and critics alike and grossed $29.5 million at the global box office.
Source: IMDb
