The craziest thing Paul Verhoeven has ever done for a movie: “We undressed and everyone started to laugh”
Director Paul Verhoeven has revealed that he stripped naked alongside his cinematographer on the set of Starship Troopers (1997) to put nervous actors at ease before filming a scene requiring full nudity. The moment reflects a long tradition of filmmakers going to unusual, extreme lengths to get a shot right, alongside examples such as Werner Herzog hauling a real 320-ton boat for Fitzcarraldo or William Friedkin firing guns unexpectedly on The Exorcist set.
Verhoeven told Digital Spy that he and director of photography Jost Vacano undressed together before shooting a fully nude shower scene, which broke the tension and made everyone laugh, allowing filming to proceed smoothly. He explained that Vacano, having grown up around nudist culture, was unfazed, while he himself found it harder but felt it was necessary to set an example for the cast. Starship Troopers received a mixed critical reception on release but has since gained recognition as a cult classic.
In short
- Verhoeven stripped naked with his DoP to ease actors' nerves
- It happened on the set of Starship Troopers (1997)
- The film later became a cult classic despite initial mixed reviews
Explained simply
Starship Troopers is a 1997 science-fiction film directed by Paul Verhoeven, set in a future where humans are at war with an insect-like alien species. The story follows young soldiers, including Johnny Rico, as they join the military and fight in the conflict.
The film features a shower scene in which several actors appear fully nude. Verhoeven made the film with cinematographer Jost Vacano, who was responsible for how scenes were filmed; both men were involved in preparing the cast for that scene. The film’s reception was mixed when it came out, but it later developed a following as a cult classic.
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