Wes Anderson Recalls Gene Hackman's Frustration on Set of The Royal Tenenbaums

Published: May 19, 2025

Wes Anderson has opened up about his experience working with the late Gene Hackman on the set of The Royal Tenenbaums, revealing that the actor was "furious" about his salary and didn't enjoy making the movie.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Anderson recalled that Hackman, who passed away in February at the age of 95, was not pleased with his compensation for the 2001 film.

"Gene was very annoyed about the money," Anderson said. "He was furious. Also, he didn't want to do the film anyway. I talked him into it — I just didn't go away."

Anderson also revealed that he and Hackman didn't speak after filming wrapped, and that Hackman left the set without saying goodbye.

"In fact, he left without saying goodbye. He was grumpy — we had friction. He didn't enjoy it. I was probably too young, and it was annoying to him," Anderson said.

Anderson's comments come just three months after Hackman's death, and follow a tribute from his Royal Tenenbaums co-star Bill Murray, who described Hackman as a "tough nut" who was "really rough" on young directors like Anderson.

Meanwhile, Anderson has premiered his new film, The Phoenician Scheme, at the Cannes Film Festival, which stars Benicio del Toro as a wealthy businessman who leaves his empire to his daughter, a nun.

The film's trailer features a star-studded cast, including Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, and Scarlett Johansson, among others.

Read more about Gene Hackman's life in photos here.

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