Burt Reynolds' GTA Meltdown: 'He's a Total Cock,' Said Director
Burt Reynolds was a Hollywood legend, but his time in the recording booth for a major video game franchise was anything but smooth. Discover the behind-the-scenes drama that led one director to snap and changed how the company hired A-list talent forever.
It's no secret that fame can go to an actor's head. Even after his star power had faded significantly by the early 1980s, Burt Reynolds never seemed to lose his remarkable ability to be a complete nightmare for his colleagues. While he wasn't disliked by everyone, he had enough run-ins to earn a certain reputation. Reynolds was known for being brutally honest, which led to clashes with directors, producers, and fellow actors—some of which reportedly got physical.
A New Gig in Vice City
In his later years, Reynolds was mostly seen in direct-to-video flicks, TV movies, and the occasional cameo. Thankfully, his legacy is defined by classics like Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, and The Cannonball Run, not forgettable titles such as In the Name of the King or Delgo. As technology evolved, a new and profitable avenue opened up for performers, famous or not: video games. Better graphics required more characters, which meant bigger budgets and the chance to bring in recognizable names to boost sales and generate buzz.
In 2002, Reynolds made his console debut in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, voicing Avery Carrington, the owner of the Shady Acres company. The game boasted an impressive cast, including Dennis Hopper, Ray Liotta, Tom Sizemore, and Debbie Harry, none of whom caused any issues. The mustachioed icon, however, was a different story.
Tension in the Studio
His difficult behavior became a major reason why Rockstar Games, the developer, eventually shied away from using big Hollywood names. “I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, poor bugger,” Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser later told Vulture. “But we don’t bring in name actors anymore because of their egos.”
During the recording sessions, director Navid Khonsari got a firsthand look at Reynolds's challenging personality. When Khonsari asked him to redo a line, the actor refused without some praise. “You know, you need to give people an ‘atta boy,” Reynolds insisted. “People do something good, you gotta give them an ‘atta boy.” Though baffled, the director gave him the compliment he wanted.
The situation escalated in the sweltering studio. Reynolds was sweating so much he needed a new shirt. His manager ran out to buy one, and when Houser simply told him, “your shirt’s here,” the actor took it as a grave insult. “There’s going to be two hits here,” Reynolds shot back. “Me hitting you, and you hitting the floor!”
The Aftermath
Houser was so furious he was ready to fire Reynolds on the spot and cut his character from the game entirely. It was Khonsari who managed to calm him down. Once the job was done, both were relieved to see him go. “We got the performance,” Khonsari said to Houser. “He’s a total cock, but let’s move on.”
Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but when the character of Avery Carrington reappeared in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, he had no speaking lines. He was quickly killed off and eaten by a cannibal.