In the documentary series Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood on Apple TV+, Laurence Fishburne shared a story from his experience filming Apocalypse Now in 1979. The actor revealed that his lack of sexual experience as a teenager affected a scene in the film, leaving director Francis Ford Coppola “disappointed.”
Fishburne recalled a scene in Apocalypse Now that was initially cut from the film but later included in the redux version. He mentioned struggling with the scene about sex at the age of 14 or 15 due to his lack of real-life experience in that area. Despite doing numerous takes at Coppola’s request, Fishburne felt dejected and disappointed by his performance.
However, Fishburne remembered a moment of encouragement from co-star Martin Sheen, who recognized his talent and told him he was a good actor. This uplifting remark from Sheen helped Fishburne regain his confidence on set.
While the incident was not a positive memory for Fishburne, it did not impact his relationship with Coppola, as he worked with the director on multiple projects, including Rumble Fish, The Cotton Club, and Gardens of Stone.
Apocalypse Now, which won two Oscars, follows a U.S. Army officer in Vietnam on a mission to assassinate a renegade Special Forces Colonel. Despite the challenges Fishburne faced during filming, he continued to have a successful career in Hollywood.
For comments on this story, The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Coppola’s representative.
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