Sean Connery’s ingenious way of terrifying studio executives: “The guy just turns white”
Imagine you’re a young movie executive tasked with going to lunch with the star of a huge blockbuster being bankrolled by your studio. This is no regular lunch, though. Instead, you’ve been singled out as the poor schmuck who has to tell said star that the studio won’t give them the extra money they’ve asked for to finish the film. Oh, and the star to whom you’re about to deny millions of dollars? It’s the legendary Sean Connery.
Naturally, this sounds like a very tall order for any executive, especially one who probably grew up watching Connery portray the world’s most iconic superspy, as well as a host of other historic roles. Can you imagine how nervous you’d be if you had to tell James Bond himself that the bean counters have decided his explosive action movie with Bad Boys director Michael Bay can’t be every bit the incredible spectacle they’ve imagined because of something as prosaic as a couple of million bucks? Especially when the studio you represent is Disney, a storied entertainment juggernaut that could never feasibly plead poverty?
However, the worst part for an executive in this situation is that Connery knew the effect his star status and exalted reputation could have on people. In fact, he spent a career using that intimidating presence, Scots charm, and back catalogue of venerated motion pictures to get his way in any scenario. So, when Bay told him Disney was sending a stuffed suit to stop the money train on The Rock, Connery knew exactly what he had to do. “Alright,” producer Jerry Bruckheimer claimed Connery said, “let’s have lunch with him.”
Cut to this young, inexperienced executive sitting across a table from Bruckheimer, Bay, and Connery. “The first thing Sean says is, ‘I hope you’re coming down here to make sure you’re giving him more money to make this film,'” Bruckheimer chuckled to Slashfilm. “He’s making a brilliant film. That’s why you’re here, right?”
According to the ultra-successful producer, this executive was so caught off guard by Connery’s opening gambit, and so overawed by the fact that a screen idol was challenging him directly to his face, that “The guy just turns white and the conversation was over.” In the end, he never even mentioned that Disney didn’t want to fork over any more money, and the production was able to conclude as planned, complete with the extra cash.
Hilariously, Bay’s recollection of this story is similar in some ways to Bruckheimer’s, but in typical Bay style, it features a lot more pyrotechnics and furious yelling. First off, Bay remembered having lunch with the executive “in a third-grade classroom, sitting at tiny tables and chairs,” which made them look like giants. This is an undeniably amusing visual.
Next, Bay claimed he sprung the fact that Connery wanted to attend the meeting on the executives as a surprise, so when he strode into the classroom, they stared at him, mouths agape in shock. Then, Connery stared them down and barked, “This boy is doing a good job, and you’re living in your Disney fucking Ivory Tower and we need more fucking money!” Naturally, in this telling of events, the chastened execs didn’t want to get into a scrap with 007, so they simply said, “OK. How much?”
Regardless of which version of the story is true, both of them live and die on the indisputable fact that Connery knew just how to put the fear of God into studio executives, and took particular delight in doing it. What a legend.
