Key Takeaways:
– Hollywood veteran Kevin Bacon found filming Hollow Man physically demanding and challenging.
– Bacon was initially reluctant to pursue television roles, fearing it might detract from his film career.
– Eventually, Bacon changed his perspective on TV roles after recognizing the high-quality content produced for small screens.
The Struggles Behind Filming Hollow Man
Acclaimed Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon, known for his diverse roles, had a difficult time while filming the 2000 supernatural horror film Hollow Man. Sharing a screen with Elisabeth Shue and Josh Brolin, Bacon was in for a tough ride despite having a lesser on-screen presence in the film. Initially, the seasoned actor was hopeful, expecting the majority of his role to be executed through voiceover. Unfortunately, his expectations didn’t match the vision of director Paul Verhoeven.
Verhoeven was unwavering in his desire to utilize Bacon’s physical attributes, intending to give the fellow cast members a more tangible counterpart for their interactions. Bacon’s experiences while filming were enhanced by the challenges of motion capture technology and motion control cameras. His entire body was covered in green makeup, including contact lenses and a suit, making him essentially the “green screen” for the effects team. This process was lengthy, grueling, and quite unlike anything the Footloose star had previously encountered.
Bacon’s Initial Distrust of TV Roles
Bacon, who first gained major recognition through his role in the 1984 film Footloose, was initially uncertain about working on television. Despite the film’s success propelling him into the limelight, Bacon feared working in TV might damage his budding film career. During an interview on The Corp podcast, Bacon explained, “I grew up in an era where you were either a TV actor or you were a movie actor and you didn’t do both.”
His fears were rooted in the notion that if movie actors switched to television, it was seen as a setback, a fallback for actors whose film careers had lost steam. As a result, the actor took precautions, instructing his management team to avoid TV scripts and projects altogether. Bacon recalled telling The Guardian, “Before, my managers knew never to mention a TV series to me, because they knew how furious that would make me.”
A Change of Heart
However, as time progressed, the quality of TV shows began to rival those of movies, prompting the actor to reassess his stance. He realized that television was fully capable of delivering content as compelling as big-screen movies. This led to a significant shift in his attitude towards television and, in turn, to some memorable performances on the small screen from the actor.
Despite being one of the leading film actors of his generation, Bacon had a difficult journey with both the small and big screen. Yet, these challenges shaped him into a better artist, giving his audience performances to remember. His journey demonstrates how overcoming struggles, no matter how difficult, can lead to success and growth. Decades-long fans of the actor remain continuously captivated by his outstanding performances, waiting to see what he will deliver next.
