Reynolds Called This Oscar-Nominated Role His Career's Worst Nightmare
The legendary actor despised working on what became a 1990s masterpiece, clashing with a young director and regretting his decision despite critical acclaim and awards recognition.
Burt Reynolds built his reputation on iconic performances in Smokey and the Bandit and Deliverance. But his role as Jack Horner in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights left him with nothing but regret. The film's sharp satire of the adult entertainment industry's golden era should have marked his triumphant return to serious cinema.
Reynolds' career had hit rough patches in the mid-1990s. Striptease bombed with critics. Direct-to-video releases piled up. Forgettable comedies failed to recapture his earlier magic. When Anderson cast him as the pornographer who mentors Mark Wahlberg's Eddie Adams into adult film stardom as Dirk Diggler, it seemed like perfect timing.
Behind-the-Scenes Tension
The second-time director's indie project would eventually earn recognition as one of the decade's finest films. It launched Anderson into mainstream success and gave Wahlberg serious acting credibility. Reynolds, though, couldn't stomach the production process.
"I hated the experience. I thought I'd sold out, in a way. I wasn't sure whether that was why they were offering the film to me, but apparently, I did it very well," Reynolds told IndieWire. "It won some awards, and I was proud of that. But I've done 60 films or something, and it was just the worst experience I ever had."
Age Gap Creates Friction
Reynolds' frustration stemmed primarily from working with Anderson, who was just 26 at the time. The veteran actor struggled with taking direction from someone he viewed as inexperienced. Anderson might be considered one of today's greatest filmmakers, but back then he was an unknown quantity with limited credentials.
Landing a star of Reynolds' caliber must have been nerve-wracking for the young director. Those fears proved justified when Reynolds lived up to every stereotype about veteran actors who think longevity equals wisdom. Nobody forced Reynolds to accept the part. He could have walked away.
In his memoir But Enough About Me, Reynolds didn't hold back his criticism. He never even watched the finished film, despite earning an Oscar nomination for his performance. "I wasn't crazy about being [directed] by a guy who's younger than some sandwiches I've had," he wrote.
Director's Perspective
Anderson later acknowledged that his youthful enthusiasm may have created problems on set. Speaking on Radio Andy, he admitted, "I was 26 years old and really full of a lot of vinegar and confidence and barking directions at everybody, and I think just trying to get this film made. And I think some of that probably got directed at Burt, and he wasn't having it, and nor should he have. But that's not to say there weren't great, great moments."
Despite Reynolds labeling it his career's worst experience, his performance as Jack Horner became iconic. He delivered exactly what Anderson envisioned, creating a character that perfectly served the film's vision of 1970s adult entertainment culture.