Rivalries in the cast


This movies two biggest stars were Matthew McConaughey and Ben Affleck (while the other actors were pretty much forgotten). I re watched it and realized Wooderson and O'Bannion didn't have a scene together. I do know that Jason London and Shawn Andrews did not get along. Is it possible that McConaughey and Affleck didn't get along? Does anybody know?

reply

They are in some scenes together, but don't exchange any direct dialog. Both are in the pool hall most of the time, including when O'Bannon runs out to get Carl. Then Wooderson is watching outside when O'Bannon gets duped and he steps in between O'Bannon and Mitch when O'Bannon starts pushing him.

Wooderson is also standing outside the pool hall when O'Bannon yells from a car "Hey Slater you Fuckin' Hippie, give me drugs man!!!!"

reply

no idea

reply

McConaughey and Affleck weren't big stars at the time. Like the rest of the cast, including Parker Posey and Renee Zellweger, they were unknowns at the time. But I don't see why they needed a scene together, although I suppose it might have been interesting to see the laidback Wooderson and the blustering jackass O'Bannion interact.

O'Bannion was held back a year or so, so there might be even more reason to assume that the two characters would have interacted in high school, possibly on the football field.

As for Jason London and Shawn Andrews, it always annoys me when I read about actors not being able to get along and thus interfere with production. These people are supposed to be professionals. If they can't put aside personal differences and get on with their jobs, they need to rethink their careers.

reply

Why didn't London and Andrews get along?

reply

I can't say for sure, but this film had a lot of improvised dialog. This leads me to believe that London and Andrews may have been competing somewhat for screen time or prominence in the film. London's Pink was a significant character in the larger narrative, while Andrews was prominent and maybe thought he could boost his role, perhaps by diminishing Pink's.

They say that Andrews role diminished a bit, with the Wooderson character gaining more prominence. I wonder what happens if London and Anderson get along great, with super chemistry, leaving McConaughey as a much more minor character with a diminished role. I don't think it would have ended his career, but it might have slowed it.

reply