Ray Liotta, known for his roles in various films, including the thriller Hannibal, had a rather stomach-turning experience during the making of the movie. In an interview with GQ, Liotta discussed the unsettling nature of his character’s fate and the challenges he faced while filming a particularly grotesque scene.
In Hannibal, Liotta portrays Paul Krendler, a character who, in a disturbing turn of events, is fed portions of his own brain by Hannibal Lecter. The actor shared his experience with the process, revealing, “I just started thinking the stuff that they gave me made me goofy and like you’re a bit high, I was doing that and laughing.”
Recognizing the difficulty of portraying such a visceral act on film, Liotta suggested using dark meat chicken as a substitute for the brain, explaining that it would be challenging to chew and simulate the texture appropriately. The actor’s pragmatic approach to the scene aimed at making it both realistic and manageable for the production.
When the movie was released, Liotta, who was working on another film in Canada at the time, decided to attend a viewing after hearing reports of people feeling queasy. He recalled, “I heard some just left. I watched it, and I thought ‘Oh my God that’s just disgusting’. But it was fun to do.”
Hannibal, directed by Ridley Scott, is a sequel to The Silence of the Lambs and follows detective Clarice Starling as she tries to apprehend the escaped serial killer Hannibal Lecter. The film explores a dark and macabre narrative, continuing the legacy of one of the best movies ever made, The Silence of the Lambs.
