Chevy Chase has gained somewhat of a reputation in recent years of being difficult to work with. Now, director Chris Columbus is joining the ranks of Hollywood figures who have spoken about their experiences with the comedian.
In a new interview with Vanity Fair, the Home Alone and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone director revealed that he stepped away from directing the 1989 Christmas comedy National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation because of Chase’s difficult attitude.
“I was signed on … and then I met Chevy Chase. Even given my situation at the time, where I desperately needed to make a film, I realized I couldn’t work with the guy,” he said of the National Lampoon star.
Columbus went on to detail two “bizarre” meetings he had with Chase that drove him to quit the picture. Jeremiah S. Chechik ultimately directed the film.
In one meeting with just Chase, Columbus said, “He had to know I was directing the movie. I talked about how I saw the movie, how I wanted to make the movie.”
He claimed, “He didn’t say anything. I went through about a half hour of talking. He didn’t say a word. And then he stops and he says — and this makes no sense to any human being on the planet, but I’m telling you. I probably have never told this story. Forty minutes into the meeting, he says, ‘Wait a second. You’re the director?’”
Chase “said to me the most surreal, bizarre thing,” Columbus added. “I still haven’t been able to make any sense out of it. He said, ‘Oh, I thought you were a drummer.’ I said, ‘Uhh, OK. Let’s start talking about the film again.’ After about 30 seconds, he said, ‘I got to go.’”
Columbus later had another meeting with Chase and John Hughes, who was producing the film.
“I was basically nonexistent,” Columbus said of the dinner meeting. “We spent two hours together, and I left the dinner and I thought, ‘There’s no way I can make a movie with this guy.’”
The director ended up telling Hughes, “This is really hard for me, but I can’t do this movie with Chevy Chase.’”
“First of all, he’s not engaged. He’s treating me like shit. I don’t need this. I’d rather not work again,” Columbus said. “I thought, ‘This was how we’re going to work together? I’m going to be on set and he’s not listening.’”
This is not the first time Chase has been accused of problematic behavior. He was fired from Community for using a racial slur in 2012.
He was also accused of making “racial cracks” against Donald Glover on the show.
He is currently not set to reprise his role for the Community reboot that is currently in production.
