A ROYAL PAIN-ENBAUM
One of our favorite movies is The Royal Tenenbaums. Gene Hackman plays the title character, an abrasive patriarch who tries to win back his family’s love by telling them he’s dying. Critics called it one of Hackman’s greatest performances. But for years, the actor would rarely discuss making the film. A decade later, we found out why.
JUICY GOSSIP
Despite rumors of friction on the set of 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, Gene Hackman’s costars avoided talking about him, preferring to stick with the “it was an honor to work with him” line. Then, at a tenth-anniversary screening attended by some of the stars (but not Hackman), director Wes Anderson and Gwyneth Paltrow (who played Royal’s adopted daughter Rachel) both confessed: “We were scared of him.” Angelica Huston (who played Royal’s wife Ethelene) revealed that during one tense exchange, Hackman told Anderson to “pull up your pants and act like a man.” Huston said she actually feared for Anderson’s safety.
Then Bill Murray (who played Raleigh St. Clair) chimed in: “I’ll stick up for Gene. I’d hear these stories, like, ‘Gene threatened to kill me today!’ He can’t kill you, you’re in a union. ‘Gene threatened to take all of us and set fire to us.’ It’s a union shoot, it’s New York, he can’t set fire to you!”
AMATEUR HOUR
The problem, said Murray, was that Hackman is an Oscar winner, and most of the actors he had to work with…weren’t. “He does his thing and it takes about 50–60 seconds, and Luke [pointing to Luke Wilson, who played Royal’s son Richie] blew his line 13 or 14 times. I thought Luke was good. He’s not good. Because at the time, he was in love with this girl over here.” (He pointed to Paltrow, who blushed.) “So that’s the problem with Gene. He had to work with Luke who was dizzy in love and Kumar Pallana [who played Pagoda, Royal’s Indian servant].” Then Murray got really worked up. “How many of you have worked with Kumar? None of you! You wouldn’t be here if you had. Kumar makes Luke Wilson look like [British actor John] Gielgud! If I had to work with Kumar and Luke Wilson, I would have set fire to this whole building.”
Paltrow was a little more diplomatic: “To be in his presence and watch him do his thing. It’s like—you know, you’re Gene Hackman, you can be in a bad (censored) mood.”
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Anderson thanked his actors for sticking up for him, and then he stuck up for Hackman: “Even though he was very challenging with me, it was very exciting seeing him launch into his scenes.” To put Hackman’s experience into perspective, Anderson added that the veteran actor didn’t really want to be in a “quirky indie film” in the first place, didn’t want to work for scale, and didn’t want to play a part that was specifically written for him (a rule Hackman always had), but his agent talked him into it. So Hackman struggled his way through the shoot, repeatedly saying that this would be his last movie.
Nevertheless, he ended up winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. (Despite being nominated, Hackman was a no-show at that year’s awards ceremony. Presenter Renée Zellweger explained to the audience that “Gene missed his connection in the Caribbean and sends his regrets.”)
The Royal Tenenbaums wasn’t quite Hackman’s last movie—he did three more before retiring, giving him an even 100 for his career. When an interviewer asked him in 2011 if he’d ever consider taking on one more film role, Hackman answered, “If I could do it in my own house, maybe, without them disturbing anything, and just one or two people.”
OBSCURE (AND REAL) COFFEE DRINKS
Ristretto. An espresso shot brewed quickly, before the machine is done making it, which means there’s less water in the brew. Result: a less-bitter but more highly concentrated caffeine kick.
Cortado. Unlike a latte, which combines espresso with steamed milk, a cortado is espresso with steamed half and half (and not frothy).
Affogato. Vanilla ice cream with a shot of espresso poured on top.
Caffé con panna. Espresso topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
Shakerato. A cold drink (that looks like a dark beer with a foamy head) made by combining espresso, sugar, and ice, and shaking it until it’s frothy.
Marocchino. Espresso, cocoa powder, and foamed milk are mixed, and then dusted with more cocoa powder. Then a layer of Nutella is spread around the rim of the glass.
Corretto. Espresso served with a few drops of rum or coffee liqueur.
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