Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Lindsay Lohan's Drama Queen Antics On The Set Of 'The Canyons'
Lindsay Lohan's on- and off-set antics are a tabloid staple: now we have the longform version from the Grey Lady herself.A New York Times reporter hung out on the set of "The Canyons," a Kickstarter-funded movie penned by Bret Easton Ellis, directed by Paul Schrader (when Lohan isn't running the show) and featuring porn's latest crossover star James Deen. The reporter hung around for the long three weeks it took to shoot the low-budget film.
Lohan starts out swearing—like she always does—that this time she's all business: “I’ve missed this so much. I’m in a good place now. I mean it’s Bret Easton Ellis and Paul Schrader! It’s a dream. When it’s done, I want to go somewhere far away, maybe Africa. Uganda? But right now all I want to do is work, work.”
And of course it spirals down from there. Some days she's a no-show. One day she takes a sleeping pill and oversleeps. Another day, she decides to party it up with Lady Gaga until 5:30 am when she's supposed to show up to work at 6 am. She can't even be trusted to take a lunch break unsupervised. She gets fired before filming starts which, as the NY Times explains, is when the director has the most power over her. Lohan responds by throwing a fit:
She pounded on doors until she found Schrader’s room. As she banged on his door, she texted him manically. Schrader could hear her crying but wouldn’t let her in. He texted her instead. “Lindsay, go home.”
The hotel manager rang up to ask if he should call the cops. Schrader told him no and sat down on his bed. Lohan stayed out in the hall sobbing for another 90 minutes before she finally left.
Support for LAist comes from
She got rehired and once the shooting starts, the ball is in Lohan's court. She, an uninsurable actress, could easily wreck the entire production with her antics, and Schrader had to do his best to wrangle a performance out of her. If that means stripping down naked so that she can feel comfortable performing a simulated sex scene with other porn stars, then he does.But then there are haunting moments where Lohan is able to channel whatever tortures her into her work, like this scene where she's supposed to be crying:
Most actresses would pop in some Visine to well their eyes with tears and be done with it. Instead, Lohan went back to her room, and everyone waited. I was standing by her door, and soon I could hear her crying. It began quietly, almost a whimper, but rose to a guttural howl. It was the sobbing of a child lost in the woods.
She came out of her room, and I watched the shot on a monitor. Now, without the garish makeup, Lohan looked sadly beautiful, and it was easy to see why men like Schrader were willing to put their lives in her hands. The camera rolled, and Deen moved in slowly to touch her face.
We recommend reading the entire feature. Whether or not the film itself will live up to the fascinating behind-the-scenes drama is another question altogether.Related:
Lindsay Lohan Isn't Sure She Can Handle Graphic Sex Scenes in Bret Easton Ellis Movie
While You Were Busy Hating Lindsay Lohan, James Deen Decided to Like Her
Bret Easton Ellis Will Read Your Novel If You Pony Up $5,000 For His New Film (Probably) Starring Porn Star James Deen
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The critical findings are part of long-awaited after-action report was released Thursday. It contains recommendations for increasing emergency staffing and updating old systems. -
Diving has changed, mountain biking has been added. Here's where to watch the Olympics in person in 2028. -
'A Great Day in the Stoke' is a free, daylong event in Orange County billed as 'the largest gathering of Black surfers in history.' The fourth annual festival is set for Saturday in Huntington Beach. -
Kimmel returned less than a week after ABC suspended his show over comments he made about the assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk. -
Southern California might see some light rain tonight into Wednesday morning. After that, cooler weather is on the way, but expect the humidity to remain. -
A gate tax at Disney? It's a possibility.
Best of LAist