Some acting challenges are harder than others ― such as acting opposite a talking penis.
That’s the challenge Sebastian Stan faced playing Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee in Hulu’s upcoming “Pam & Tommy” miniseries.
Stan’s main co-star is Lily James, who plays actor and model Pamela Anderson, but one scene already arousing attention features the “Winter Soldier” actor having a heart-to-heart talk with a penis.
In the scene, Lee discusses whether he’s falling in love with Anderson with his penis ― actually a puppet voiced by actor Jason Mantzoukas.
The penis conversation is actually from a chapter in Lee’s memoir, but screenwriter Robert Siegel admits that Hulu execs gave some “gentle pushback” at the thought of dramatizing it on film.
“Because you’ve got to push back a little when a talking penis is presented to you,” Siegel admitted. “But Hulu was extremely supportive.”
Director Craig Gillespie told Variety that shooting the scene was “just awkward.”
He explained:
“You’ve got four puppeteers working with an animatronic penis. And then, how much is too much, and do you start to lose his emotional torment of what’s going on? Hopefully it works.”
It wasn’t the easiest scene for Stan, either, but he said he got through it by focusing on his relationship with his puppet co-star.
“By the end of it, I treated it like it was an intimate buddy conversation that one might have when they’re falling in love,” he told Variety.
Still, the series led to some painful moments for the actor, who spent months learning to play the drums like Lee ― including his trademark drumstick twirl.
“It’s not easy to do,” Stan said. “My fingers were swollen for a good week and a half. I kept hitting myself in the head with it.”
“Pam & Tommy,” which also stars Seth Rogen and Nick Offerman, debuts on Hulu on Feb. 2.
Watch the trailer below.
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