Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary Learns Hard Lesson on Movie Set
The business mogul discovered that Hollywood operates very differently from the boardroom when he made his acting debut alongside Timothée Chalamet in the ping pong thriller.
Kevin O'Leary thought he could bring his boardroom authority to Hollywood. The Shark Tank investor quickly discovered otherwise during filming of Josh Safdie's Marty Supreme, where he made his acting debut as Milton Rockwell opposite Timothée Chalamet.
The businessman, known for his commanding presence on the reality show, found himself in unfamiliar territory. For the first time in decades, O'Leary had to take orders instead of giving them.
"I learned my lesson that film sets are not democracies. I'm not used to being told what to do. I do the telling," O'Leary admitted.
Director Josh Safdie Shows Who's Boss
The reality check came swiftly. O'Leary recalls shooting the same scene over 20 times, growing impatient with what he perceived as unnecessary repetition. When he suggested they move forward, Safdie shut him down immediately.
"We shot something 20 times and I said to Josh, 'OK, I think we got it. We can move on.' He said, 'What the f*ck are you talking about? There's no moving on until I say we're moving on,'" O'Leary recounted.
The exchange perfectly captured the hierarchical nature of film production. Directors maintain creative control, regardless of their cast members' outside status or wealth.
Chalamet Takes Real Hits for His Art
O'Leary's character required him to spank Chalamet's character in what he describes as a pivotal humiliation scene. The Dune star refused a body double, insisting on performing the scene himself.
"When it came time to whack him, there was a stunt a**. There was a double. [Chalamet] wouldn't do it. He said he'll do it himself. He didn't want some other ass immortalized. Josh was saying, 'You've got to wind up harder'. I was really whacking him," O'Leary explained.
The prop paddle broke on the first hit. O'Leary had to use a real paddle for subsequent takes.
Box Office Success Validates the Process
Chalamet's commitment appears worthwhile. He won the Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor, and Marty Supreme has earned $56 mn domestically. The film maintains a 94% critics score and 83% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The ping pong drama is tracking toward becoming A24's highest-grossing domestic release. Oscar buzz continues building around both the film and Chalamet's performance.
For O'Leary, the experience provided valuable perspective on creative collaboration outside his usual domain of business deals and investor pitches.