Jonah Hill has revealed details about working with director David O Russell on the film "I Heart Huckabees," describing the Oscar-nominated filmmaker as "f***ing nuts at the time." The actor made his film debut in Russell's 2004 comedy, which is perhaps best known for a heated argument between the director and actress Lily Tomlin.
Hill's Account of the Set
Speaking at a live recording of the "Smartless" podcast on Saturday, April 25, Hill, now 42, shared his experiences on the set of "I Heart Huckabees." He clarified that he believes Russell is "awesome" and "one of the best directors ever," but acknowledged his behaviour was extreme during that period. "He was buck wild and I'm homies with him... Super nice guy," Hill said, via The Hollywood Reporter. "But in that moment in life - and I've had my own, trust me - he was buck wild, dude. He was screaming at Lily Tomlin. It's online and s***. And he'll talk about it."
Hill also claimed that on his first day on set, he witnessed Russell arguing with a member of his creative team. "Everyone's screaming at each other," he added.
Russell's Reputation for On-Set Clashes
Russell's history of conflicts with actors is well documented. He is alleged to have headbutted George Clooney during the making of "Three Kings" (1999), and Amy Adams said the director left her "devastated" almost daily while filming "American Hustle" (2013). In 2010, Russell reflected on his outbursts, calling them "terrible embarrassing moments" that made him "more vigilant to never ever repeat such a thing."
The Infamous Tomlin Confrontation
Three years after the release of "I Heart Huckabees," footage of Russell and Tomlin arguing on set surfaced on YouTube. In the clip, Tomlin shouts at Russell, telling him to "leave me the f*** alone" and unleashing a string of expletives. Despite the incident, Tomlin said the following day that she still "loved David" and understood the pressure he was under. She later recalled that they made up quickly after their first clash, but a second fracas occurred. "By then, I was like stoic in my suffering. But we've overcome it. It dissipates and it's gone," she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015.
Russell has described the set as "one big party, except for maybe one day," adding that the party continued past that day, but that was the moment that got remembered. The director has also called "I Heart Huckabees" his least favourite of his films.
The Independent has contacted Russell's representatives for comment.
