Some roles become permanently etched in our collective memory. However, the path to creating such iconic characters is frequently fraught with challenges and doubt. Kurt Russell’s iconic performance as R.J. MacReady in John Carpenter’s masterpiece sci-fi horror flick, The Thing, is one such example. Against all odds, the actor—who started his career at the age of 12—defied warnings and braved subarctic temperatures to play this iconic role.
Russell knew that taking on the role of MacReady would be a watershed moment in his career. But little did he realize that this character’s challenges extended far beyond the script. Set in the desolate Arctic wasteland, the 1982 film by John Carpenter demanded an unparalleled degree of physical endurance and courage to convey the ferocity of the role.
Kurt Russell’s Heroic Gamble to Embrace The Thing
The Thing, directed by John Carpenter, is regarded as one of the best horror films ever made. Kurt Russell claimed, though, that the director never thought he was creating a horror movie.
In a recent interview with GQ, Russell revisited the classic 1980s film and talked about the time he was asked to play the lead role of MacReady. He asked questions about the film after hearing about it, and the screenwriter Bill Lancaster—who also happened to be his “best friend”—told him about the role he would be playing. Lancaster gave the actor some advice—sort of a “hint”—about the dangers of taking on the role.
Russell told GQ:
“I said, is it a monster movie or a horror film? What is it? And John said, no, this is from the book Who Goes There? He said, ‘The Thing was a movie 20…30 years ago, but I’m not doing that.’ He said, ‘I’m doing a movie about paranoia’.”
Russell also touched on the much-discussed movie’s conclusion, pointing out that many different approaches to the film’s conclusion were considered. However, it appears that Carpenter was forced to admit that the only way the story could end was to go back to the beginning:
“John was never satisfied with that last scene. He didn’t want to do two hours, take the audience on a ride for two hours and bring them back to square one. The last scene we talked about a lot, and we’d write out little different versions of it, what do you think of this, what do you think of that, and it would go back and forth. In the end, I said ‘John, look, I know you don’t want to go back to square one but that’s kind of what it is.’ We don’t even know if we’re real. We don’t know. And I don’t think the audience can figure it out.”
Russell’s ability to embody MacReady, capturing the paranoia and determination of a desperate survivor, broke down barriers and propelled The Thing to cult status.
Kurt Russell Kept Asking John Carpenter This Question About The Thing
Insights from the film’s production were revealed in a 2016 LA Weekly interview with the cast and crew. John Carpenter described the shoot as “intimidating” in that passage because he had to manage a number of skilled actors, some of whom were from the theater, including Keith David and Donald Moffat.
These actors honed their characters more than Bill Lancaster’s script or Carpenter’s massive storyboards would during the half-month of rehearsals before shooting. They naturally looked to their captain for guidance. As Carpenter stated to LA Weekly:
“I didn’t have experience working with an ensemble cast. So I brought an actor into my office and talked with him about his process. That conversation didn’t give me any specific ideas for the movie, but it got me thinking about what my job is: Giving the actors whatever they need to give a good performance..”
Moreover, Carpenter recalled that Kurt Russell was the one who asked the following question the most. The former revealed:
“The big question that kept coming to me was: If you were a Thing, would you know? I think Kurt Russell started that one. I said, ‘I think you would.’ But he kept asking that question, so I don’t think that answer was sufficient.”
Partly because of Kurt Russell’s lasting influence, The Thing is still recognized as a groundbreaking film. Even now, audiences are still moved by his portrayal of R.J. MacReady. He became a Hollywood icon, no doubt when he chose to disregard warnings and risk everything to travel into subarctic temperatures.
The Thing is streaming on Paramount Plus.
