How Woody Harrelson’s fit of anger in a taxi resulted in a £300 fine and a new movie: “Started going crazy”
Channelling personal experiences into art has always been a reliable way for many creative pioneers to create authenticity and universality through highly specific frameworks. But how many artists can truly say that they were inspired to create a movie after flying into a fit of rage while in a taxi chase that ended with police involvement? Well, there’s Woody Harrelson, to begin with.
Ranging from Natural Born Killers to True Detective, Harrelson has delivered some truly great performances that have required him to tap into a vein of insanity in a way that very few people can. Even his cameo on Curb Your Enthusiasm was a perfect demonstration of how little material the American actor needs to create something that brilliant.
However, these are nothing compared to a 2017 project by Harrelson that required him to draw on an experience that was simply unhinged. According to a 2002 report by The Guardian, the actor was detained by the police in London after causing damage to a taxi that he took from the China White nightclub back to his hotel.
The driver of the cab, Les Dartnell, said in an interview that things were completely normal until Harrelson suddenly became enraged and asked to be let out. Before the driver could respond, the actor had already smashed an ashtray and busted the lock before hailing another cab and speeding away from the scene.
Recalling the events of that infamous night, Dartnell explained how abruptly the atmosphere had changed: “[Harrelson] started going crazy, saying he wanted to get out of the cab. The next thing I know, he’s kicking the door. Somehow he managed to kick the whole thing open, breaking the lock; then he’s off, running down the street.”
After Dartnell notified the police and they managed to stop the second cab, Harrelson broke into a sprint before eventually being restrained and kept overnight in a cell, having been charged with a £300 fine for the damages. It wasn’t a complete loss for Harrelson, however, since he turned the entire misadventure into Lost in London.
Featuring the likes of Owen Wilson and Willie Nelson, the 2017 film marked Harrelson’s directorial debut, and it was built on the central gimmick of being the first movie to be broadcast live directly in theatres. “Loosely” based on what actually happened, as Dartnell later said, “It would surprise me if he remembered much because he was totally out of it,” Lost in London follows Harrelson’s efforts to get home as his night keeps getting crazier.
What seems like a disaster on paper actually turned out to be an interesting directorial swing, but the way it was presented makes it more comparable to an art installation rather than an actual debut feature. It’s also the perfect example of creating art from a domain that is very personal, even if that domain was allegedly completely obscured by the opaque haze of alcohol-induced rage.
Lost in London might not be an accurate representation of that 2002 night but it’s interesting nonetheless, even though Dartnell’s accounts of the night seem to be much more engaging than what Harrelson managed to put on the screen.
