Movie directors usually have a lot on their plate while being on set directing the actors and crew altogether. Evidently, it can create some uncomfortable situations on set and such incident has occurred on the set of several prominent directors including Platoon director Oliver Stone who needed Johnny Depp’s saving on set.
The Oscar-winning 1984 war movie has almost put the director in jail after his rough take on bringing intense emotion to the screen. Indeed, Platoon is now regarded as one of the best war movies ever created and the performances of the actors were also commendable but behind the scene, there were some intense moments.
Johnny Depp Saved Oliver Stone
Johnny Depp has appeared in several eccentric roles but his serious roles also gained remarkable accolades. Beyond his cinematic presence, the actor has been a kind man, at least many celebrities have said it witnessing his humble nature. While filming Platoon, director Oliver Stone almost landed in trouble while attempting to bring real emotion out of a small girl by shouting at her. As revealed in the documentary (based on the film) Platoon: Brothers in Arms, the actor said that Stone was at gunpoint by a Philippine police member after the incident.
“She couldn’t have been more than nine. Oliver’s strategy of bringing real tears to the little girl’s face was a bit much. He raised his voice, and it went on for far longer than it needed to. These people aren’t actors,” Depp said in the documentary.
Explaining the incident further, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor said that the policeman “reached in for his weapon, it was coming out, and, it was moving forward, and I went ‘F*ck,’” and “I put my arms round his wrist,” Depp said. The hunger for a perfect shot with intense emotion almost put him in trouble. Depp saved both the little girl and the director in the $138 million war movie. The situation could have been worst if Depp was not there in the set.
Johnny Depp on Starring in Platoon
Depp like other actors in the movie said that filming Platoon was hard, close to a nightmare. Depp played Gator Lerner in the movie. The actor knew what he was getting into but was unaware of the intensity of it. The movie shot in the Philippines had the worst possible timing. Depp later revealed that the director warned him, “I’m gonna need you for you know about 13 weeks we’re gonna be in the jungle it’s gonna be awful conditions you know are you ready to do that?” Depp responded agreeing to the director’s call. “We’re going to the Philippines I’ve never been out of the country before,” Depp added.
“What else everybody said listen don’t go to the Philippines don’t, don’t do that. It’s very dangerous. No, because of that entire, you know, the NPA the New People’s Army was there and there’s just chaos riots murders bombs, and s*it everywhere […] we were given to eat this is the most shocking thing you ever seen. It would be like being was a bean component I think was the name of one of them main component turkey loaf ready-to-eat in my socks at that point you know we’re all starving to death.”
Further, the actor revealed that he fell asleep on set for a while. The director would never let the actor leave the scene until he was satisfied with it. Depp called Stone a “sledgehammer” but despite being tough, Stone has the ability to carry the actors to the next level. Depp said that he was proud to be a part of the film.
Source: CinemaBlend.