Drew Barrymore fangirled over “The Royal Tenenbaums” with star Bill Murray as the two paid homage to the late Gene Hackman during a Thursday taping of “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
Barrymore was quick to mention the 2001 Oscar-nominated dramedy was one of her favorite films and asked Murray what it was like working with Hackman on set.
“Wes Anderson makes great movies and so does Gene Hackman and you put them both in the same movie, what are you going to get? You’re going to get a good movie,” the comedian said of the experience.
He did remember, though, that Hackman was “a little irritable” during production since he was a veteran actor at that point.
“To him Wes Anderson was like just a punk kid, you know and Gene’s made some of the greatest American movies,” Murray said. “They put him in very challenging positions to work, and so he just felt a lot of responsibility and kept thinking, ‘What am I doing here with these people?’”
“But the performance he gives is brilliant,” he added.
Watch the full video here:
Though Murray was 20 years Hackman’s junior on-set, the now 74-year-old actor said he related to acclaimed actor and also admired his work while filming.
“You know I watched him, and I suffered with him because I saw what he was going through but his timing, his patterns, his rhythms were really, really advanced,” Murray said of the two-time Academy Award winner. “He was very, very good.”
Hackman won the Golden Globe in 2002 for his performance in the film, but the “Lost in Translation” actor remembered he did not show up to receive the award.
Barrymore asked if the late actor ever came around and realized the film’s significance to which Murray replied that he did.
“He was not an ignorant man. He was a bright guy and when he saw the movie, he had to go, ‘Oh s–t, I acted like a jerk.’” Murray said. “I’m sure he did because when you see the movie it’s a real piece of work.”
Hackman and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe home Thursday morning. “The French Connection” actor was 95 years old.
Murray ended with a final goodbye to his co-star: “Goodbye, Gene. I hope you’re well wherever you are.”
You can watch the full clip in the video above.
This episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show” airs March 5.
