Michael Douglas Recalls On-Set Bullying of Sean Young in "Wall Street"
The actor detailed an incident where Charlie Sheen taped a derogatory sign to their co-star's back.
Michael Douglas has revealed a distressing incident from the set of the 1987 film "Wall Street," detailing how co-star Sean Young was subjected to bullying.
In his new memoir, "One Helluva Ride," Douglas recounts that Charlie Sheen taped a sign to Young's back that read, "Biggest c--t in the world." Douglas intervened, removing the sign and advising Young to disregard it. He acknowledged that Young "had every right to be furious" after learning of the incident.
Douglas described Young as someone who "caused a lot of problems on set" and had a "terrible relationship" with the cast and crew. This friction extended to director Oliver Stone. According to Douglas, Stone eventually decided to give Young's lines in a stable scene to Daryl Hannah. When Young questioned her reduced role, Stone fired her on the spot.
Douglas also noted that Hannah experienced difficulties during filming, citing creative differences between her and Stone, who he characterized as often focusing on "male-centered stories."
Cinematographer Bobby Richardson reportedly urged Stone to recast both Young and Hannah, but Stone initially resisted, only firing Young after their ongoing conflicts. Douglas later wrote that Stone expressed regret, wishing he had dismissed both actresses. Consequently, most of Young's scenes were cut from the final film.
Douglas himself received an Academy Award for his portrayal of Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street." He had previously won an Oscar as a producer for the 1976 Best Picture winner "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."