Stephen Baldwin, the youngest of the four famous Baldwin brothers in the acting family from Long Island, was a guest on actor/comedian Jamie Kennedy‘s podcast.
Baldwin told the story about how he was fired from the 1989 Brian de Palma movie Causalities of War starring Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox as American soldiers in the Vietnam War. “The way they fired me was gnarly,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin retells his experience on the set, on the first day of shooting with Penn, who already had films including Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Falcon and the Snowman, Bad Boys, on his resume.
Baldwin said when they had rehearsed the scene, Penn mumbled his lines. “I didn’t hear an accent [during rehearsal]” he said, so the actor was surprised when he heard Penn’s accent while filming.
If you take your craft seriously then you shud watch this clip over and over again! One of the greatest onset stories I have ever heard! This is a nightmare for ANYONE let alone a young actor, with the biggest break of his career!!? But that is why @stephenbaldwin7 is the man! pic.twitter.com/fKv21EJ1R0
— Jamie Kennedy (@JamieKennedy) June 1, 2024
On the podcast, Baldwin re-enacts the scene using Penn’s accent and then says, “And then I said, ‘I’m sorry but can we cut?’”
Kennedy can’t believe it. Baldwin says, “Sean just walks away” and De Palma (Scarface, The Untouchables, Carrie, Mission: Impossible) tells Baldwin, “You don’t cut my camera.” Baldwin said he apologized but when he asked De Palma if Penn was going to keep the accent, De Palma lost it. (Baldwin explained how he was fired three days later.)