Penelope Spheeris, the director of the hit 1992 comedy Wayne's World, has finally laid to rest the rumors that she clashed with star and screenwriter Mike Myers during filming. The film was originally based on the Saturday Night Live sketch of the same name, in which metal-heads Wayne Campbell (Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) host a public access television show on their shared passion, getting up to a number of childish antics along the way. The film proved to be a financial and critical success, grossing over $183 million at the box office and spawning a sequel in 1993.
Famed for popularising a range of catchphrases (from "Party On!" to "Sch-wing!"), as well as featuring appearances from rock legends Alice Cooper and the late Meat Loaf, the buddy comedy is now celebrating its 30th anniversary. Wayne's World has certainly managed to retain its presence in popular culture, with Myers and Carvey performing several reprisals as the head-banging youths last year, along with a limited edition steel book re-release of Wayne's World being issued to commemorate its third decade. However, despite its success, Wayne's World is also known for having its fair share of difficulties behind the camera, not least of all the alleged locking of horns between Spheeris and Myers.
But now, after varying reports over the years, Spheeris has clarified whether the Wayne's World screenwriter and director really did have any altercations on set. Dissecting the film's legacy and revealing behind-the-scenes hi-jinks in an interview for THR, Spheeris also discussed her relationship with Meat Loaf and the particulars of the film's iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody" scene. However, when asked about the alleged "clash" with Myers, what she may have done differently, and what advice she would give to young filmmakers, the director takes the opportunity to confirm that "there really were no clashes with the actors" during the making of Wayne's World. Read Spheeris' comments below:
"I am going to break the myth right now. When we were shooting Wayne’s World, there really were no clashes with the actors. The reason people think that is I wasn’t able to direct Wayne’s World 2 because I didn’t want to make any cuts to the first one that they asked me to do. And that was the only point of contention that we had, honestly. I have had collisions with actors [on other projects] before, one was Rip Torn and the other was Molly Shannon. My advice to young people who may have a problem is if you think you’re right, call their agent and fink them out. (Laughs.)"
Although Spheeris may not have had any cast issues on set herself, production on the film was still troubled. Indeed, Carvey briefly quit Wayne's World before shooting due to his own disappointments with how the script was being written, but ultimately returned. And although Spheeris says her absence from Wayne's World 2 was due to artistic differences regarding the first film's edit, her statement differs slightly from previous comments that she suspected that Myers helped to convince Paramount not to have her direct the sequel.
For many fans of the rocking comedy duo, there may be some closure to be found in Spheeris' reassurance that she never clashed with Myers on set, something which can always potentially mar the enjoyment of a film. However, it may be that others won't be quite so convinced, given that the question of a feud between the two has been continually brought up over the years, and that Spheeris has outlined her differences with Myers in previous interviews. But whether this will at last put to bed the subject of on-set quarrels or not, it's evident that Wayne's World remains the champion of SNL adaptations and a true classic 30 years on.
Source: THR