The 1997 movie Boogie Nights has become a well-known period piece about the porn industry during the 1970s and '80s, but actor Burt Reynolds actually ended up hating that he was in the movie, and sacked his agent for it. The comedy-infused drama uses a slow-burn, tension-building vibe to showcase the excess and "live like there's no tomorrow" ethos that dominated the world of American pornographic films at the time. The movie follows Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) — who goes by the pornstar name of "Dirk Diggler" — and his ascension to fame and riches before plummeting to dismal lows when his career fizzles out.
Eddie's first discovered by Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) while working at a nightclub. And, though he's only 17 at the beginning of Boogie Nights, he's given a crash course on life working in adult films. And though Jack and Amber Waves have no problem with recruiting kids slightly under 18 (Roller Girl is another example), Jack does have some conviction as a moviemaker. This is showcased when he refuses to get on board with the idea of moving porn from film to videotapes and when he's explaining his artistic vision to others. He takes his role as a sort of X-rated auteur very seriously.
Although Jack is a key character in the movie, Reynolds wasn't a fan of the project. In 2018, he told Conan O'Brien, "It just wasn't my kind of film." He also said that he turned down his role as Jack Horner seven times before taking it, and that the movie's raunchy subject matter made him "very uncomfortable." A 2018 article from The Washington Post also reported, "[Reynolds] was so unhappy with Boogie Nights, despite never having seen it, that he fired his agent afterward." In addition, it's fairly well-known that Reynolds didn't click well with Paul Thomas Anderson. In 2015, he even told GQ about working with the director, "Personality-wise, we didn't fit."
Since the ensemble cast of characters in Boogie Nights is such a key part of the edgy, epic film, it's hard to picture it without Reynolds' Jack Horner. Though he certainly has his share of flaws like the rest of the characters, there's an earnestness in how seriously he takes his work that's respectable. He's definitely committed to the art form. And, interestingly, Reynolds isn't the only cast member who has expressed dissatisfaction about his role in the film during the years since its release.
In 2017, Mark Wahlberg clarified earlier comments regarding regret for his Boogie Nights role with People. He said about the idea of taking on a similar part again, "I don’t know if that would make my wife all that comfortable." He also said about reconciling his past role as Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights, and any possible future parts like it, with his family and religious beliefs, "So, I don’t want to compromise my artistic integrity or choices based on my faith or my family, but I also have other things to consider, and being a little bit older and a little wiser, the idea of having to explain that movie and the reason behind it to my kids is another issue." Despite all of its merit, with a film as graphic and sexually charged as Boogie Nights, it's easy to see why actors' feelings on their work within it might be complicated, or even change over the years.