In 1981, John Lithgow shot a scene that “sickened” him. Today, he knows he “would not play such a part”

In Brian De Palma’s 1981 thriller *Blow Out*, John Lithgow played a hired killer who disguises his crimes by posing as a murderer of sex workers. Years later, Lithgow said filming an execution scene left him “sickened” and that he would not take on such a role today, reflecting his discomfort with the film’s violence against women.

The scene was shot overnight and involved Lithgow stabbing a Liberty Bell design into a woman’s abdomen. Despite its disturbing content, *Blow Out* is now regarded as a notable thriller; Quentin Tarantino has praised it, and John Travolta’s performance helped prompt Tarantino to cast him in *Pulp Fiction*. The film also preceded Lithgow’s Oscar-nominated role in *The World According to Garp*.