Kiefer Sutherland is setting the record straight about what really went down on the set of the 1986 film Stand By Me.
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During his recent appearance on The Talk, Sutherland and his Stand By Me cast mate, Jerry O’Connell reflected on their time on the set. Co-host Natalie Morales then asked if it was true that he bullied O’Connell while filming the coming-of-age drama.
“Absolutely not true,” Kiefer Sutherland declared while O’Connell laughed. “First of all, I’m not that kind of actor and I wouldn’t want to be that kind of person.”
O’Connell later stated that Sutherland did not bully him or other cast mates on the set. “there was no bullying,” O’Connell noted. “But, Kiefer, I was so scared of you on set!”
Those who starred in the film alongside Sutherland and O’Connell were Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, and Corey Feldman.
According to IMDb, Stand By Me follows a writer who recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing body. The film was directed by Rob Reiner and was written by Stephen King, Raynold Gideon, and Bruce A. Evans.
The film was nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium at the 1987 Oscars. It received nominations for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director – Motion Picture at the Golden Globes as well.
Stand By Me was also a success at the box office, earning $52.3 million on a $7.5-8 million budget.
Kiefer Sutherland Reflected on Spending A Lot of Time With His Late ‘Stand By Me’ Co-Star River Pheonix
While continuing to discuss Stand By Me, Kiefer Sutherland recalled spending a lot of time with his cast mate, River Phoenix.
“Because we both played guitar,” he said. “So that was kind of an into him. And we were both, even though I was seven years older, we were both beginning, right? So, there was a lot of discussion about… how do you develop a character? What’s your process?”
Sutherland admitted he didn’t think the film would become a hit. “It’s an amazing thing because it changed our lives. There are so many fantastic actors out there that don’t get these kinds of opportunities, so it’s not something you should ever take for granted.”
Kiefer went on to add that his memories of Stand By Me are so fond. “because it was the beginning of living out a dream. Stand By Me is always gonna be with me.”