Mike Tyson’s cameo in The Hangover left an indelible mark by highlighting his unexpected comedic talents. Best known as a boxing legend, Tyson’s appearance as himself in the film was a delightful departure from his tough-guy persona. He delivered an impromptu rendition of Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight and revealed his iconic face tattoo in a manner that had the audience in stitches.
Tyson’s willingness to playfully mock himself and his surprising comedic timing added a distinct and enjoyable layer to the movie. His cameo became one of the film’s standout comedic moments, further underscoring his versatility beyond the boxing arena.
The Film Didn’t Feature Mike Tyson Or His Tigers At First
Todd Phillips mentioned that he was initially involved in another Warner Bros. project, potentially featuring Jack Black, but when Jack withdrew from it, Phillips stumbled upon a spec script for The Hangover and found it to be a compelling and intriguing concept.
Phillips approached Jeff Robinov at Warner Bros. with the script and proposed, “Look, here’s this movie. We’re going to rewrite it.” The core premise centered around these characters misplacing the groom and grappling with lost memories. That fundamental concept remained unchanged.
The characters underwent transformations from the initial script. In the original, Bradley Cooper portrayed a used-car salesman, and there was no character like Mr. Chow. Essentially, Todd Phillips crafted the entire framework. There were no elements like Mike Tyson, a baby, a tiger, or a cop car in the original script.
Todd Phillips told The Hollywood Reporter:
“Jeremy Garelick and I sat down in my house and just started writing. We kind of went backward, like, what would be the craziest thing you could wake up to? A tiger? Well, why would a tiger be there? Siegfried & Roy? Nah, that feels typical. Oh, you know what’s funny? Mike Tyson. I once read he has tigers. They stole it from Mike Tyson.”
Following the refusals from Paul Rudd and Jack Black, among others, Phillips turned his attention to relatively lesser-known actors. However, in the absence of big-name stars, Warner Bros. and co-financier Legendary Pictures demanded a reduction in the film’s initial mid-$40 million budget. They also stipulated that Phillips’ directing fee of $6.5 million be halved, with the remaining portion contingent on the film’s success.
Did The Film Use Mike Tyson’s Real Tiger?
Interestingly, Tyson indeed kept three Bengal tigers as his pets, affectionately named Boris, Storm, and Tanya. The man famously known as “The Baddest Man On The Planet” had this unconventional pastime of interacting with tigers, although these jungle cats proved challenging to domesticate. If you’re thinking that individuals actually trespassed onto his property to abscond with the tigers, your assumption isn’t far from reality.
Although no one had the audacity to attempt stealing a tiger, a woman did, in fact, breach Tyson’s property by leaping over his fences and engaging with one of the tigers. Unfortunately, this interaction resulted in her sustaining injuries, ultimately leading Tyson to pay a substantial $250,000 in compensation.
Each of the animals showcased in the film underwent comprehensive training, and the production crew diligently implemented safety measures to ensure the actors’ comfort while filming these scenes.
The Hangover can be rented or purchased on Google Play.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
