This Director Said Steven Seagal Was a ‘Pain in the Neck’
Movie lovers know Steven Seagal for his rise to fame through the ’80s and ’90s as a B-movie action star. With hits like Under Siege, Above the Law, and Marked for Death, fans know him well. Unfortunately, Seagal has a history of behavior issues on set. Here’s what one director said about Seagal being a “pain in the neck” to work with.
Director Andrew Davis said Steven Seagal was a ‘pain in the neck’
Director Andrew Davis worked with Steven Seagal for Seagal’s 1988 debut, Above the Law. The director and actor worked together four years later in 1992’s Under Siege. Before Seagal was cast in Above the Law, he worked as a martial arts instructor in Hollywood. Michael Ovitz, an agent who was also Seagal’s student then, thought Seagal would be ideally suited for the leading role.
“I had a meeting with Warner Bros., and they said: ‘We want you to meet this guy, Steven Seagal,'” Davis shared with Yahoo. “I was like, ‘Who is Steven Seagal?'”
When Davis finally met with Seagal, Seagal told Davis that he liked his work — and he hoped Davis would direct him in a film. “[H]e said, ‘I saw Code of Silence and I want you to direct my movie,'” Davis continued. “I went, ‘Well … can you act?'”
Seagal went through with a screen test in Chicago to perform an action and emotional scene. While Davis still had concerns, he cast Seagal. Seagal then became a sensation with his first hit film. “Above the Law came out, and Steven became a big star overnight,” Davis said. “He didn’t look like anyone else with that ponytail and the Aikido moves. It really launched him.”
Davis and Seagal seemed to work well together in 1988. But when they worked together again in 1992’s Under Siege, Davis had a different opinion of the actor. “He was a pain in the neck,” the director said of the actor who played a former Navy SEAL. “He had become arrogant. Tommy Lee is actually in a lot more of Under Siege than Steven Seagal!”
In the end, Davis mentioned that it worked out. “Under Siege became Seagal’s biggest movie, and it got me The Fugitive,” he added.
The actor declined in popularity in the mid-’90s due to his conduct and legal troubles
Director Andrew Davis calling Steven Seagal a “pain in the neck” is the least of Seagal’s concerns. Seagal built a reputation for his abrupt, boisterous behavior. He was later sued for sexual harassment. Other actors also accused Seagal of taking part in bullying while on set.
Seagal’s most infamous appearance was his stint on Saturday Night Live. He hosted an episode in 1991, and the comics and actors who worked with him complained about his conduct.
“He didn’t want to go along with what the plan was that week,” David Spade wrote in his book, Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. “As a result, I think that was the first week that I heard talk about replacing the host and just doing a cast show.”
“When we pitched some of our ideas for Seagal at our Monday meeting, he gave us some of his own sketch ideas,” cast member Julia Sweeney remembered. “And some of his sketch ideas were so heinous, so hilariously awful, it was like we were on Candid Camera.”
While speaking on the Literally! podcast, Spade added that Seagal had trouble making fun of himself, leading to his demise. “A lot of people think we’re there to make fun of them,” Spade noted. “But if we’re getting you on the show to host, we all want it to work. And if you make fun of yourself — this is where it gets tricky — if you make fun of yourself, it will benefit you. And if you don’t, and if you fight it so much — that was [Seagal]. He was too cool and had his image.”
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.
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