Nathan Lane remembers working with the late gene Hackman on “The Birdcage” as “the tension of life.” Sitting with Stephen Colbert on the “The Late Show” Tuesday, the actor shared that one of the more memorable scenes between their characters in the 1996 Mike Nichols movie actually contained uncripted ad-libs that made it more memorable.
“I think I told him every morning that he was my favorite actor … He was like Spencer Tracy, you couldn’t catch him act. He could make comedy or drama beautifully. And he was such a smart actor, ”Lane told Colbert before remembered the scene where his character – who is in move – and Hackman’s singing and dancing to” I could have danced all night “from” My Fair Lady. “
“And then in the end we leave the stage, we go into dinner and I ads, I said:” You know I played Eliza in high school? “And he said,” I bet you were wonderful. “There was a little flirt there, which was funny. He was one of the greats on the screen and I was just very lucky to share that time with him.”
Look at Lane’s full “Late Show” interview below:
In the film, Lane’s character dresses us when his traits alter ego Starina when their son (Dan Futterman) is nervous for his potential in -laws, a conservative senator and his wife, who meet their two dads. Lane’s husband in the movie is played famous by Robin Williams.
Lane has also previously talked about his experience in filming with the late Williams and shown particular gratitude for the protection that his co -star knew about his private life. 2023, Lane remembered that Williams stepped up During a campaign interview about “The Oprah Winfrey Show” which saw Winfrey questioning about his feminine “Birdcage” character became a little too curious.
Instead of leaving Lane to deal with the questions on his own, Lane said that Williams, who he remembered as a “beautiful, sensitive soul”, “kind of turns in and leads Oprah, goes off on a key and protects me because he was a saint.”
“I was just not ready to do it,” Lane said about the responsibility that comes with sharing his sexuality as a celebrity. “Now you have to make a public statement about it – I was terrified … It’s amazing that everyone now feels comfortable but homophobia is alive and good and there are plenty of gays that are still hiding.”
Tony and Emmy winner, who last played Dominick Dunne in Ryan Murphy’s Menendz series, costs with Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham and Linda Lavin in the new Hulu-Sitcom “Mid-Century Modern.”
