Laurence Fishburne Reevals Which Actor 'Saved' His Career After a 'Disappointing' Scene With Francis Ford Coppola

justjared.com:

Laurence Fishburne is recalling a particular moment while filming 1979′s Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

In the new Apple TV+ documentary Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood, the 63-year-old actor revealed his lack of “sexual experience” as a teen impacted a scene in the movie. “There’s a scene in Apocalypse Now that got cut from the original film, and then it’s been put back in the redux,” he revealed. Keep reading to find out more… “I was 14, 15, whatever, trying to do this scene talking about sex and I had no sexual experience.

Like, none,” he continued. He went on to say Francis “couldn’t figure out how to get me to be any more experienced than I am, but he kept asking me to do it over and over again.

I did something like 40 takes. It was really bad. And I could tell that he was disappointed. So I was feeling really, really down, really dejected.” That was when co-star Martin Sheen stepped in for some encouragement, which Laurence claimed “saved my life.” “I heard Martin whisper in my ear, he said, ‘Did anyone ever tell you you were a really good actor?’ And I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘You’re a really good actor.’” “That’s what being No.