MovieChat Forums > Dazed and Confused (1993) Discussion > So WHY was Shawn Andrews (Pickford) so d...

So WHY was Shawn Andrews (Pickford) so despised by the other actors?

posted 8 years ago by joetigersfan
22 replies | jump to latest

We've all heard the legend that Shawn Andrews was really disliked by the other actors. I heard about the fight between him and Jason London but beyond that I don't know any specifics.

My questions are very specific. WHY was Andrews so despised? What did he do on the set that made him an outcast? Anyone have any links to the "dirt" or first hand accounts from the other actors? Anyone heard any specific stories? From who and what were they? Thanks.

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

I've always wondered this too. Tried to research it but nothing very specific in fact has been told. But apparently you already know more than I do. I thought it was just London that didn't get along with him. I didn't know others had feuds with him as well. But at the very least, Milla Jovovich was alright with him, given they eloped and all.

[–] royalewithcheese2020 8 years ago

I don't believe it was the whole cast. He may have been difficult to get along with I'm not sure. I know him and Jason London were originally supposed to have a lot more dialogue, but if you watch the movie they are in the same scenes but interact very little. Insert Matthew McConaughey. Pickford was originally going to be the one smoking a joint at the 50 yard line near the end. It was honestly a blessing because Matthew adds so much too this movie with his coolness whereas Pickford contributes very little. I mean can you imagine the end being Pickford, Pink, Slater, and Simone driving off in the distance? Lol. Plus would have taken away one of the best lines in the movie "Just gotta keep livin, L-I-V-I-N." Alright alright alright would have probably still been in there and some of his other cool lines like his dialogue about high school chicks staying the same age, but you never know. I think Wooderson was originally just a minor character. Also, though Shawn Andrews didn't get along with London, he did marry Milla Jovovich after shooting when she was sixteen, but her mother immediately had it annulled. Another note, she doesn't talk much either but I don't think that was for the same reason as Andrews, I think that's just how her character was supposed to be.

[–] Prince_of_IMDb 8 years ago

I actually liked Shawn Andrews and thought he had more charisma / screen presence than McConaughey. Despite having such a lowly written character. Thought he was better looking too the first time I saw the film in theaters. I'm not surprised Jovovich fancied him back in the heyday.

Wonder why his career never took off...

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[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

I'm personally a McConaughey guy over Andrews myself.
But you know, hardly anyone in this movie had a grand career afterwards, and it's really too bad. This should have been one of those things where, here we are years later, we'd be able to watch a bunch of different movies and say, "Hey! He was in Dazed and Confused!" sort of like one does with the Lost cast some other TV show. Aside from Matthew, Affleck and Parker Posey's exceptional indie career, the rest had pretty minor careers. Too bad, they're all so talented.

[–] royalewithcheese2020 8 years ago

I suppose. I didn't dislike his character just liked Wooderson a lot better lol. Had linklater gave his character more depth then maybe he would have had more of a lasting impact not sure. The scenes he does have he is present but you don't hear him talk much. Nothing like Don or Slater who are always running their mouths. Maybe just how his character was supposed to be too? Not sure guess we'll never know.

[–] Prince_of_IMDb 8 years ago

I found Wooderson to be kind of a weirdo. People love the high school girls line but to me it just sounds flat-out creepy. He seems to be one of those low-life slackers who flex their remaining popularity amongst an environment he should've long grown up from.

the Social Studies teacher in the intro seemed way cooler than him.

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[–] Datamater 8 years ago

Per the D&C book, Wooderson was from the class of '74, so Pink, etc., were freshmen his senior year.

"Randy lay there like a slug! It was his only defense." - Jean Shepherd (A Christmas Story)

[–] Prince_of_IMDb 8 years ago

Interesting. Like I said to the other gent below, I thought Wooderson looked way older than his age. I always thought he was well in his 30's or something. Matthew just had really mature / older looking facial features. and the haircut didn't help. LOL which is not to say he isn't handsome, though. :)

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[–] dxtripleh1014 7 years ago

I would have to say that the book did not translate to the movie on this part. Remember, there was the scene after Wooderson made a pass at the redhead in the car with the nerds, one of the nerds states that Wooderson graduated when they were 3 or 4. This would make him roughly 31. I don't think they would have made that joke about his age if he had only graduated a year or two ago.

[–] royalewithcheese2020 8 years ago

Yeah he was a bit of a weirdo I suppose but he wasn't THAT much older than the others. He is just that type of guy who likes to "relive old glory days" if you will like the officer at the end mentioned to him. Also, the line about high school girls seems pretty creepy, especially today, but there are still a number of older guys in college who date high schoolers. The fact he was talking about freshman is a bit creepy too, but gotta think it was 1976, and also I think he was joking for the most part. Don't think he was actually interested in younger chicks that much he just doesn't want to grow up basically. It's obvious he may be into high school chicks since he asks out Cynthia at the end, but she's a senior so not nearly as creepy as him dating a freshman. His character is just "cool", plain and simple.

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

I never took the high school girls bit too seriously, either. The guy is college-aged and obviously knew Pink and the rest, which means they had to at least be freshman. So he's only 3-4 years older than them at the most. He's just joking about the freshmen.

[–] Prince_of_IMDb 8 years ago

He looked way older than college-aged to me. He looks like he was well into his 30's. The pedostache and haircut wasn't helping his case, either.

I'm well aware Mcconaughey was only like 23 but to me he could pass for a guy in his mid-30's. he looked older than his real age, IMO.

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[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

I guess so, but there's not really a lot that anyone could do about that.

"We're not too old for this sh*t!" -Riggs and Murtaugh, 'Lethal Weapon 4' (1998)

[–] DrAndreiSmyslov 8 years ago

So WHY was Shawn Andrews (Pickford) so despised by the other actors?

I read an article years ago about it, "despised" might be too harsh, but the other actors saw him as an outsider. And that was Shawn's doing. He refused to socialize with any of the cast other than Milla.

Originally Matthew's character had very little screen time. Shawn later became jealous because his screen time was being cut as they realized Matthew's character and his performance were scene stealers. In the article, Don Philips (casting) said Shawn acted like an ass hole. The more he isolated himself, the more screen time Linklater took away from him and gave to Matthew and others.

Linklater is a very strict, militant director. Even though it was a stoner/alcohol movie, no drugs or alcohol were allowed on set, and if you are not a team player which Shawn was clearly not being one, you can be left out, looking in.

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One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

[–] purplebear17 8 years ago

How was Linklater strict?

[–] DrAndreiSmyslov 8 years ago

How was Linklater strict?

Wow, I can't believe it, I did a search and found the article. You can read for yourself, I recalled most of it right..... http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/oral-history-dazed-and-confused

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One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

[–] purplebear17 8 years ago

thanks for the article.

[–] PrestonParker 8 years ago

I've also noticed many of his lines sound like they were dubbed over by someone else.

[–] arthurab 7 years ago

Awesome interview, and very informative- thank you for posting it!

I recommend all D&C fans click on the link. Everyone notable (except Shawn Andrews and Mila Jovovich) talks about making the film and what they remember. Well worth your time.

[–] daleobx 7 years ago

This isn't true. Read the Trivia section. Real been was used on set by most of the actors.

[–] 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] freebird1987 7 years ago

He was a jerk.