Why Stephen Baldwin Was Fired From An Underrated '80s War Movie

There is an art to casting a movie. It's not just about finding the best actor for each role; you also have to consider fit, i.e. how they physically complement their potential fellow castmates on camera and how they relate to them emotionally. Indeed, casting is such an important part of the filmmaking process that it's finally been given its own category at the Academy Awards.

When we talk about films that were, in part, triumphs of great casting, we often focus on movies that brought together a slew of rising or unproven talent. There are obvious examples like Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders," Amy Heckerling's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," and Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused," all of which were films that bolstered or outright launched multiple movie star careers. War films have also been particularly effective over time in introducing exciting new talent, given that they bring together (mostly) young men and thrust them into life-or-death situations. Oliver Stone's "Platoon" is a veritable "He's in this?" showcase, as is Ang Lee's Civil War masterpiece "Ride with the Devil."

And then there's Brian De Palma's "Casualties of War."

Casting this searing Vietnam drama about a platoon of American soldiers who kidnap, rape and eventually murder a young Vietnamese girl proved especially challenging because, to get the film greenlit at Columbia Pictures, De Palma and casting director Lynn Stalmaster needed a fresh-faced star to play the one conscience-stricken private who resists his sergeant's orders. The director opted for Michael J. Fox, an immensely appealing and popular comedic actor who'd struggled with leads in serious movies like "Light of Day" and "Bright Lights, Big City." To contrast Fox's puppy dog persona, De Palma and Stalmaster went with Sean Penn, who believed that, to make the onscreen antagonism truly sizzle, he had to isolate Fox from himself and the actors playing his charges. Evidently, Don Harvey and newcomer John Leguizamo didn't have a problem with this, but another promising young actor did. And this, Stephen Baldwin speculates, is why he got fired from the movie.

During an episode of his "One Bad Movie" podcast, Stephen Baldwin discussed his brief time on the set of "Casualties of War" with guest Jamie Kennedy, revealing that Sean Penn ordered his onscreen platoon mates to shun Michael J. Fox off-camera. "We can't be friends with Mike Fox," Penn told them. "Our characters, we hate him. So, you have to hate him with me. Do what I tell you."

Baldwin, however, did not comply. As the actor told Kennedy, "Once Sean Penn told Stephen Baldwin from Massapequa, 'Don't talk to Mike Fox' ... the first thing I did was [tell Mike Fox], 'Hey, I thought you were great in 'Family Ties.'" (Baldwin has also talked about this incident on his Instagram.)

Causing static with one of the most celebrated actors of his generation was probably not wise, but, provided Baldwin's recollections are accurate, I'm pretty sure I know what got him 86'd from "Casualties of War." Later in the interview, Baldwin said he had an issue with Penn mumbling his lines during a take, so he asked for De Palma to cut. "You don't cut my camera," said De Palma. After apologizing, Baldwin then asked De Palma if Penn was going to continue speaking his dialogue in this manner. This enraged his director, who got in the actor's face and shouted, "You don't ask what Sean is gonna do! Do you understand me?!"

A week later, Baldwin was called into a meeting with producer Art Linson, who informed the actor that he'd been fired and would be on a plane home later that evening. When Baldwin said he needed to go back to his hotel room and pack his things, Linson replied, "Everything in your room has already been packed."

Baldwin's loss was a boon for John C. Reilly, who took over the role of the slow-on-the-uptake Private First Class Herbert Hatcher. This was the future Academy Award nominee's first speaking role in a film, and he absolutely nails the part. As for Baldwin, he's had a successful career and appeared in a handful of good movies (e.g. "The Usual Suspects" and "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle"), but he's mostly a reality show clown anymore. Hard to believe that a guy who'd ask a legend like Brian De Palma to cut a take isn't booking respectable work nowadays.