John Leguizamo says 'neurotic' Patrick Swayze was 'difficult to work with'
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Loading... - Martina Biondi
- 01 Aug 2024
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John Leguizamo recently shared his candid thoughts on working with the late Patrick Swayze, calling the experience challenging despite his love for the actor. During an interview with SiriusXM host Andy Cohen, Leguizamo opened up about his time on the set of the 1995 film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, where both actors portrayed drag queens alongside Wesley Snipes.
When Cohen mentioned hearing that Swayze was considered an "absolute angel," Leguizamo responded with a different perspective, describing Swayze as "neurotic" and difficult to work with. He attributed some of this tension to Swayze's concerns about how he was perceived by others.
"Rest in peace, I love him. He was just neurotic. And I’m neurotic too, but I don’t know, he was just – it was difficult working with him," Leguizamo admitted.
Cohen suggested that Swayze might have been a perfectionist, but Leguizamo stuck to his view. "I don’t know – just neurotic, maybe a tiny bit insecure. And then Wesley [Snipes] and I, we vibed, ‘cause, you know, we’re people of colour, and we’ve got each other,” he continued.
Leguizamo noted that his improvisational style often clashed with Swayze’s preference for sticking to the script. "I’m also like an improviser, and he [Swayze] didn’t like that. He couldn’t keep up with it, and it would make him mad and upset sometimes. He’d be like, ‘Are you gonna say a line like that?’ I go, ‘You know me, I’m gonna do me. I’m gonna just keep making up lines.’ He goes, ‘Well, can you just say the line the way it is?’ I go, ‘I can’t.’ And the director didn’t want me to.”
Despite these challenges, Leguizamo found significance in the role he played, particularly regarding the impact it had on LGBTQ+ youth. Reflecting on the film’s legacy, he said, “It was very important because a lot of transgender kids, [LGBTQ+] kids come up to me, who are now I guess a little older, they said because of that show and my character, they felt confident to come out to their parents. And I felt like, ‘Wow, that’s what art’s supposed to do.’”
Leguizamo’s comments reveal a more nuanced view of Swayze, highlighting the complexities and pressures actors can face in their professional lives. While acknowledging the difficulties, he also underscored the profound positive impact their work together had on audiences, particularly in fostering acceptance and confidence within the LGBTQ+ community.
