To celebrate Tommy Boy’s 30th anniversary and new 4K Ultra High-Definition release, star Bo Derek spoke to ComingSoon about the legendary Chris Farley movie. Derek discussed its legacy, working with Farley, its evolving reception, and more.
“Holy Schnikes, one of the funniest films of the 1990s, Tommy Boy, has been remastered for 4K Ultra HD. Celebrating 30 years of gut-busting laughs, Chris Farley and David Spade are two ne’er-do-well traveling salesmen who hit the road to save the Callahan family’s auto parts business, resulting in one disastrously funny consequence after another. This larger-than-life comedy features Rob Lowe, Bo Derek, Dan Aykroyd, and Brian Dennehy,” says the official description.
Tyler Treese: Congrats on the 30th anniversary of Tommy Boy. This is probably the movie I’ve seen the most times in my life. It’s very rewatchable. This was such a fun role for you because you’re playing this very evil plotting villain. It’s very different from your usual persona. What was most fun about this role and really getting to play the villain?
Bo Derek: You know, the role was written [that] I didn’t do much at all. And it’s really, really hard to concentrate on your own performance when you’re standing in front of David Spade and Chris Farley. That’s just about impossible. So most of the time, I remember not working on her and developing this villain character. I remember most of my time on set, on camera, trying to keep a straight face.
I wanted to ask you about that because Chris is just such a presence. He is so charming and funny, but you’ve gotta act annoyed at him. How difficult is that job of not being won over by his performance?
It’s hard. And I can see, when I watch the movie, I can see that when I’m trying to just keep a straight face. That’s all I’m concentrating on. And you know, David Spade too, David is definitely a quieter comedian, almost everybody is. But the same thing. I would look over at him and just bust up and have to start the scene over again. It was really hard for me.
You get married to the great Brian Dennehy in the film. He wasn’t really known for comedy, but he just gives it his all and was such a natural fit for it. How is it filming his wedding scenes with him? It’s great seeing that side of him.
Right? He was in 10, so we had been friends for so many years that I could keep a straight face with him most of the time. And I knew he was funny and I knew that if you go back and IMDB his career, he could do everything, anything, it didn’t matter.
10 had a nice effect on his career, you know, made it skyrocket. Mine, I didn’t know I had a career until 10, but that’s another film, another story. But Brian we were friends for a long time and it made my career go cuckoo and it definitely sent his off again. It was a boost. So we shared that.
You mentioned 10. That’s such an iconic film for you and this film even has a reference to that when you’re when you’re first introduced, which is really fun. But I feel like Tommy Boy really made you iconic for a whole new generation again. So how often is Tommy Boy like just brought up to you? I imagine it’s just so iconic to so many people.
Bo Derek: It is. And it lasted longer. 10 has a place it will always have its place I think in film fandom and history. But Tommy Boy has lasted longer. For me, walking up, having people walk up to me, certainly it’s incredible.
Don’t forget, Tommy Boy’s more a family movie than 10.
Yeah, for sure. And this is something that all generations can laugh at. I think that’s why, over time, Tommy Boy has just become such a touchstone. It really surprised me that the film wasn’t a huge hit upon release. You got a Razzie nomination, which is ridiculous, but you’re getting that last laugh because of the legacy of this film and the movie still being relevant 30 years later. How’s it been kind of seeing that change in reception?
It’s been fabulous. If you look at the Razzie awards, they’re done in fun, to begin with, and you’re in really good company if you look at the history of them. So that didn’t surprise me at all, but it was a small film.
You know, those comedies, you don’t just don’t know until the audience starts watching them because it’s, to me, it’s the most difficult form of entertainment. I’ll argue that a comedy is harder to pull off than a drama any day. It’s so many factors have to click, the chemistry has to be even more perfect. So I wasn’t surprised, and I’m not surprised today, although I hear Rob Lowe, I ran into him a few months ago, and he said the [Travis and Jason] Kelce family that it’s one of their favorite films for the whole family to sit down and watch and that they love it. So that was kind of fun.
Speaking of Rob, he plays both your lover and your fake son in the film. How is it having those two different energies with him, depending on if they were in public or not. They’re all over each other during some scenes, and then, obviously, they have to be reserved. So, how is that kind of dynamic?
It’s just fun to play. You know, you don’t think about those things. You just… It goes back to the first time you read it, and you read, you know, “Okay, they’re serious and, and parental in this scene, and then they’re going at it in that scene,” and you think, “Oh, yay, I get to do something funny.”
This film had a very evolving script. It was constantly being rewritten and there was a lot of improvisation. I’m not sure how much that kind of bled into your scenes, but how was the general production in dealing with that? Because that had to be on unlike a lot of other films you’ve done.
Yes. I think that with those actors, with David and Chris, they were just so close, and they were like brothers in so many ways, and it was just fun. Whatever was on the page when you got on the set, the essence was always still there because you have a story to tell with a lot of changes, as you said, but also, they just brought wildness to every scene.
In the ending, we see a lot of Dan Aykroyd. You wind up charming him, which is really fun. He’s not in the film for long, but he really makes that ending really shine. How is it working with him because he just adds that little extra charm?
He is an extremely charming man. I think a little magical if I can say that there’s something extra about him that I didn’t get to know him that well, but that’s what I sense and I love working with him.
Thanks to Bo Derek for taking the time to talk about Tommy Boy’s 30th anniversary and 4K release.
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