Director Tricked Cusack into Iconic Boombox Scene

In a recent podcast appearance, John Cusack, who starred in the 1989 movie 'Say Anything,' disclosed that director Cameron Crowe employed a ruse to capture the film's famous boombox scene. Cusack recounted that Crowe had to trick him into filming the moment where his character, Lloyd Dobler, holds a boombox aloft, playing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" for Diane Court.

According to Cusack, the legendary cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs collaborated with Crowe to overcome Cusack's reluctance. Kovacs reportedly told Crowe not to worry and that "there's no film in the camera," after they had already shot a version where Cusack held the boombox on a car's hood. This deception led Cusack to perform the scene genuinely, capturing the perfect emotion.

Crowe confirmed the story in a past interview, explaining Cusack felt the act was subservient. He admitted they struggled to film the scene, with Cusack eventually agreeing to do it while "literally kind of pissed that he's having to do it one more time." Ione Skye, who played Diane Court, later called the boombox integral to the story. Cusack also noted that the film is more than a "stalker" narrative, exploring themes of "inert relationships" and "ambiguity."