Wayne's World Stars Disliked Iconic Bohemian Rhapsody Scene

“They hated doing it. They hated banging their head in the car. It hurt. [Metallica’s] James Hetfield, all those headbangers, they’re used to it. These guys weren’t used to doing that. They didn’t have the muscles in their neck and it started hurting real bad. They started asking for Advil on the set. The worst part is Mike said not only does it hurt, it’s not funny.” - said Penelope Spheeris, the director of Wayne's World. Released in 1992, Wayne’s World proved to be a successful movie, grossing $183 million at the box office. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is the moment when Wayne and Garth headbang to Queen’s song “Bohemian Rhapsody”. However, as Spheeris recently revealed to THR, the scene was actually painful for the stars Mike Myers and Dana Carvey to film. They physically hated it, especially the vigorous headbanging it required. Myers even objected to the scene, claiming that it wasn't funny.

The potential for comedic gold in Queen-inspired headbanging was not the only point of contention between Myers and Spheeris during the making of Wayne's World. Spheeris revealed that they also had disagreements over the final cut of the film, as Myers requested numerous changes, most of which Spheeris refused to make. In fact, according to Spheeris, "Most of them sucked." Her unwillingness to comply with all of Myers' demands ultimately led to her being excluded from directing Wayne's World 2, which was instead helmed by Stephen Surjik.

Despite rumors of a contentious relationship between Spheeris and Myers on the set of Wayne's World, the director has clarified that there were no feuds between them, stating that "It was not an uncomfortable set." Spheeris herself has also previously stated that there were no clashes with the actors during filming, and any disagreements were limited to her refusal to make cuts to the first film for Wayne's World 2. Ultimately, Wayne's World was largely Spheeris' vision, and her decision to keep the iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody" scene intact paid off, as it has become a beloved pop culture moment that perfectly captures the joy of headbanging with friends. Despite Myers' initial doubts, audiences found the scene hilarious and it remains a highlight of the film.

Source: THR