Gary Oldman’s iconic “Bring Me Everyone” scene from “Léon: The Professional” was originally just an outtake the actor filmed to get a laugh out of director Luc Besson, but the filmmaker ended up keeping it.
“I did a couple of takes, ‘Bring me everyone, everyone.’ And to make Luc Besson laugh as a joke, I went to the sound guys and I said, ‘I’m going to be really, really loud,’” Oldman explained during a sit-down with “The Late Show’s” Stephen Colbert. “And I did that, and he kept it and put it in the film — that was just an outtake. It was just me having fun.”
The “Slow Horses” actor went on to give more details about his time shooting the movie in New York, mentioning that during a building explosion scene and while a huge crowd was watching the crew work, a real-life bank robbery took place across the street.
“The whole crowd turned and they watched the bank robbery and the police, and then they turned back and kept watching us filming,” Oldman described in a fit laughter. “I was not actually in the building. I was back on the corner to watch this explosion because Luc said it’s going to be fantastic … You are like, what the hell, there is a bank robbery? And I just thought, ‘Oh my God, New Yorkers are fantastic.’ They did not even blink.”
Moving on, Colbert pointed out that Oldman had a successful run as a villain in both film and television during the ’90s, a task the star said he now charges more for.
“I mean, look at me, honestly. I do not know how it happened. I was sort of the poster boy for villains, and I put a stop to it. I just said … well, they are more expensive, villains. I charge more for a villain,” Oldman said. When Colbert asked if he would charge less to be a hero, he said, “At a discount, I’ll gladly be the hero.”
Colbert then complimented Oldman by saying he plays “evil well,” and asked him to break into a villainous form. However, after what appeared to be a brief attempt, Oldman instead broke out in laughter.
He did not leave Colbert hanging on his request though, he gave Colbert a little tidbit on how to look intimidating.
“There is a little trick, which is from James Cagney — not necessarily evil but if you want to look more tough, you bring the head up first and then the eyes. You like that?” Oldman said before chuckling again.
“Léon: The Professional” premiered in 1994 and starred Oldman, Natalie Portman, Jean Reno, Danny Aiello and more.
You can watch the full interview in the clip above.
