Michael Caine's Teen Co-Star Made an Embarrassing Mistake
In the 1980s, a teenage actress was cast opposite a Hollywood legend she didn't recognize. Her awkward confession reveals a much darker side to the film industry and the troubling practices that were once considered normal.
By the 1980s, Michael Caine was a household name. After breaking out two decades earlier in films like Zulu and Alfie, the British actor, with his signature thick-rimmed glasses and Cockney accent, had become one of the most recognizable stars in the world. His move to Hollywood was seamless, fueled by an Oscar nomination for Alfie, and he soon appeared in major productions from Brian De Palma’s Dressed to Kill to Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters.
An Unlikely Pairing
With a resume full of acclaimed directors and a shelf full of awards, Caine had firmly established his A-list status. Yet, one of his co-stars was completely unaware she was working with an icon. Hollywood has long struggled with age disparities, so it’s hardly a shock that Caine’s on-screen love interest in the movie Blame It On Rio was played by Michelle Johnson, who had no clue who he was. She was just 17 years old.
Directed by Stanley Donen, famous for Singin’ in the Rain, this romantic comedy was far more controversial. The plot centered on an affair between a middle-aged man and his best friend's teenage daughter. One might assume an adult actress would be cast for a role that demanded nudity and numerous bikini scenes, but an actual 17-year-old got the part.
A Troubling Production
Johnson actually needed legal and parental consent to appear nude in the movie, and her guardians did little to shield her from the situation. It's deeply unsettling that this was permitted, but such exploitative behavior was frighteningly common back then. The role, which was also her acting debut, hypersexualized her from the start.
Donen had cast her after spotting her picture in a magazine. While this launched her career, the circumstances surrounding it are hard to stomach. She wasn't even legally an adult.
The Cringeworthy Discovery
This lack of industry experience explains her unfamiliarity with Caine's body of work, which prompted her to do some quick research. She later told The Oklahoman, “I didn’t even know who Michael Caine was. This was so embarrassing. So I called a friend who’s older than me. She goes to movies a lot. And she said, ‘Oh, that’s that Kung Fu guy.’ She was getting him mixed up with David Carradine.” After some confusion, she finally learned who Caine really was. “I immediately went out and saw Alfie and The Man Who Would be King and Sleuth. I was very nervous at the audition, especially after seeing those movies.”
Despite her nerves, she clearly nailed the audition, holding her own opposite the screen legend even though she was fresh out of high school with zero acting experience.
A Controversial Legacy
It’s bizarre to consider how accepted this kind of casting was well into the 1980s—a practice you’d think would have been left behind in the previous decade. Hollywood is a strange place, indeed. The young actress quickly learned who her famous co-star was, and together they delivered performances that would stir up considerable debate.
Unfortunately for Johnson, her performance earned her a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for ‘Worst New Star,’ which was hardly a great start to her career. For both Caine and Donen, Blame It On Rio remains a regrettable film in their otherwise distinguished careers, one that is probably best left in the past.