Kiefer Sutherland Addresses 'Stand by Me' Bullying Claims During Jerry O'Connell Reunion
Kiefer Sutherland is setting the record straight on bullying claims on the Stand by Me set. During Thursday's episode of The Talk, the 57-year-old actor was asked by co-host Natalie Morales to fact-check a viral social media post that alleged he bullied the film's young actors to keep in character while off-camera.
The film, adapted from Stephen King's 1982 novella, The Body, follows four friends -- played by Jerry O'Connell, Corey Feldman, Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix -- who go looking for the rumored location of the dead body of a missing boy, in hopes of becoming local heroes during the summer of 1959.
"Absolutely not true," Sutherland responded. "First of all, I'm not that kind of actor and I wouldn't want to be that kind of person. I spent a lot of time with River Phoenix because we both played guitar, and so that was kind of an in to him. Even though I was seven years older, we were both beginning, right? And so there was a lot of discussion about 'How do you develop a character?', 'What is your process?'"
"Actually, it's very funny that at the age of 17, which I was in Stand By Me, I had probably a more in-depth process than I even do now. But we didn't get to work together," the 24 star said of O'Connell, who also co-hosts The Talk.
‘Stand by Me’ Cast Recalls Filming Iconic Scenes and Becoming Real-Life Friends (Flashback)
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‘Stand by Me’ Cast Recalls Filming Iconic Scenes and Becoming Real-Life Friends (Flashback)
Sutherland actually expressed disappointment that he didn't work with his co-stars more on the 1986 classic. "I think one of things that's been frustrating for me when I think about Stand By Me is they always ask me what everybody else was like... We really only had the one big scene at the end where Wil Wheaton pulls the gun and I had to run away like a girl."
O'Connell quipped that he hadn't realized how young Sutherland was during filming, admitting, "I felt like you were like 40...I just thought you were the most grown-up person."
"Now, I will say that Kiefer did not bully us, there was no bullying. But Kiefer, I was so scared of you," O'Connell confessed.
The 50-year-old daytime series host previously responded to the viral X (formerly Twitter) post, writing, "Yes but we can take him now. Anytime. Any place."
Noting that everyone has grown up considerably since their time on the film, Sutherland recalls running into O'Connell "about 10 years after" working together. "Someone said, 'Oh, you should go say hi, that's Jerry O'Connell.' And I said, 'No it's not.' We said hello and I gave you a big hug and then I walked away and looked at my friend and went, 'Wow, he's got a lot better trainer than I do.'"
After the interview, Sutherland shared a photo of him and O'Connell on Instagram, sweetly captioning the post, "Got to visit with an old friend this morning on @thetalkcbs. @mrjerryoc … fantastic!"
O'Connell and Feldman reunited in 2021 to celebrate the film's 35th anniversary, during which the duo opened up to ET about the lasting impact of the hit film.
"It's like a badge of honor having been a part of Stand by Me," O'Connell shared. "Because it's not just a good movie. It's not like people just come up to me and go, 'Hey, man, that movie was great!' ... They usually stop me [and] they pull me aside and say, 'Stand by Me meant so much to not only me, but to my dad, to my kids.'"
"It's just one of those [things], it spans generations," he added.
"It's always an honor to have people remember your work at all, you know what I mean?" Feldman chimed in. "There's so much out there, there's so much great art, there's so many great films, and I just feel honored and privileged to be part of any film that people actually cherish, that people still hold in a high regard."
Jerry O'Connell and Corey Feldman Reflect on 'Stand By Me's Legacy 35 Years Later (Exclusive)
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Jerry O'Connell and Corey Feldman Reflect on 'Stand By Me's Legacy 35 Years Later (Exclusive)
During the course of filming, O'Connell and Feldman formed a real bond of friendship that stands to this day -- and both actors reflected on how unique and special that sort of experience really is.
"You can’t put a price on friends that last [35] years, especially in this business," Feldman shared with O'Connell. "I mean, the fact that you even want to talk to each other, it was a miracle, and let alone the fact that we actually call each other and talk to each other in private when we are not doing anniversaries and reunions."
"You and I will be friends forever, Corey," O'Connell responded with a smile.
For all the young stars in the film, Stand by Me represented something special -- and for O'Connell, it was his big-screen acting debut, which went on to shape his career and, according to the star, his entire journey.
"It really changed my life, being in Stand by Me," O'Connell reflected. "You don't even realize it at the time. You don't even realize it until now when you're talking about it 35 years later."
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