As per a recent article on The Hollywood Reporter, Wayne’s World director Penelope Spheeris has addressed rumors of clashes with star Mike Myers on the set of the 1992 cult classic. Spheeris, who had previously worked with the likes of Richard Pryor and Albert Brooks, dismissed reports of an uncomfortable set, instead attributing any tension to Myers’ hypoglycemia, which could cause him to become grumpy if his blood sugar levels dropped.
Director Penelope Spheeris has denied rumors of clashes with actor Mike Myers on the set of 1992’s Wayne’s World. Spheeris said that while Myers could get grumpy if he suffered from low blood sugar, the set was not uncomfortable. The director claimed that discord only arose after filming had wrapped and the finished film was screened for test audiences. Myers was not present for the screenings and wrote 11 pages of notes when he watched the film alone, many of which Spheeris said “sucked.” Myers wanted to cut a scene in which Lara Flynn Boyle’s character crashes her bike into a car because she got the laugh, not him, As per Spheeris. He also had doubts about the iconic lip-syncing scene to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Spheeris opposed Myers’ suggestions and told producer Lorne Michaels and Paramount executives the film would suffer creatively and comedically if she executed them.
However, Spheeris revealed that the real trouble began after filming had wrapped and the finished film was screened for test audiences. Myers’ father had passed away at that time, so he had returned to Canada for the funeral and missed the early screenings. “He wasn’t there to witness the incredible audience reaction and look at the test cards and realize that we had something on our hands,” Spheeris explained. Instead, Myers watched the film alone and wrote 11 pages of notes, many of which contained suggestions for cuts.
Spheeris strongly opposed Myers’ suggestions and told producer Lorne Michaels and Paramount executives that the film would suffer creatively and comedically were she to execute them. Among the cuts Myers wanted was a scene in which Lara Flynn Boyle, who plays an ex-girlfriend still pining for Wayne, crashes her bike into a car. “Mike didn’t want it in there because she was getting the laugh, not him,” Spheeris revealed. “That’s the way Lorne teaches his players — to always one-up one another.”
Myers also had his doubts about one of the film’s most iconic sequences: when Wayne, Garth (Dana Carvey), and their pals lip-sync to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in the 1976 AMC Pacer referred to as the Mirthmobile. “They hated doing it. They hated banging their head in the car. It hurt. [Metallica’s] James Hetfield, all those headbangers, they’re used to it. These guys weren’t used to doing that. They didn’t have the muscles in their neck and it started hurting real bad. They started asking for Advil on the set,” Spheeris recalled. “The worst part is Mike said not only does it hurt, it’s not funny.”
Despite Myers’ reservations, the “Bohemian Rhapsody” scene has become one of the most beloved moments in the film, and the song itself experienced a resurgence in popularity following the movie’s release. Wayne’s World went on to become a box office hit and a cultural phenomenon, spawning a sequel and a Saturday Night Live spinoff.
Spheeris, who had previously directed music documentaries before transitioning to feature films, also spoke about the challenges of working on a scripted feature for the first time. “I was learning how to direct actors, and they were learning how to be actors,” she said. “It was a big learning curve for all of us.”
Despite the creative differences, Spheeris maintains that she has fond memories of working on Wayne’s World and is proud of what they accomplished. “We had a good time making the movie,” she said. “It was a great experience, and I’m really happy that it turned out the way it did.”
