Burt Reynolds in conversation with Hadley Freeman | Guardian Live

At a Guardian Live event in London to mark the publication of his new autobiography, Burt Reynolds recalled the highs and lows of his career. He talks about working with Marlon Brando, Paul Thomas Anderson and Mark Wahlberg, missing out with Greta Garbo and the love of his life Sally Field. Reynolds was in conversation with Guardian journalist Hadley Freeman in Kings Place, London on 2 December 2016.
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[@sherryd3299]

I love Burt! I always have. He is a class act. He's so kind.

[@chrisshaw5344]

What a man ....sad in a way to see him unwell but what a star ❤️

[@beverlymcnamara9483]

I was never a Burt Reynolds fan. He was mediocre to me. Loved hearing his interesting interview. He knew many people actors from years back all through his life. A very sensitive man, intelligent, great actor, writer, director. I know have Great Respect for Burt. The world loves Burt and he loved the world. A famous Actor that will always be remembered. RIP Burt. You will never forgot 🙏🙏🙏

[@susannahwhite7561]

I liked his character on Gunsmoke.

[@TaylorStJohn-fp9zs]

What a sweet soul...a truly great man. I love how emotionally honest and transparent he is. I had no idea he was so kind. Gosh, I would have killed to shake his hand and grow up in the era that launched his career!

[@janiceyoung8359]

1q

[@robingray3221]

Burt was a great actor. He will be sadly missed go rest high on that mountain Burt

[@deerheart87]

He was actually quite a good actor when he was serious

[@donnaking3344]

Deer Heart the best. One of the best.

[@coldwinter5710]

I only wish he would've taken himself more seriously and/or really believed in & trusted his talent. We would now have an even greater body of his work to look back on & enjoy. I thought he was at his very best at his quietest moments.

[@linda8485]

I thought he was a much better actor when he wasn't serious. Just playing himself, being charming and having fun.

[@pardeepparkash398]

humble guy , reflective in this interview, comes across as a real human being with feelings, unlike many actors

[@beverlymcnamara9483]

pardeep parkash I was surprised to hear Burt proposed to the Lady Dinah Shore and Dinah rejected his marriage proposal. Burt and Dinah were very good together.

[@harpynemo6418]

@@beverlymcnamara9483p0lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

[@darrebell3086]

Hmmm 🤔 Post reviewing a few other interviews where he retold the same stories slightly different each time … I found him to be very Smart or extremely experienced However calculated and seasoned STORŸ teller and connecting and conversational expert!

[@valdatriegaardt6310]

When I told my husband of his passing, he said WHAT??!! When? How? He wasn't That Old!! Oh No!! .how sad..! He was So loved and revered equally by men as well as women...

[@davidgiorgi6827]

A very humble Burt Reynolds with and interior that I never knew existed. I always liked him but now so even more. RIP Burt, you will surely be missed as one of the Great Ones.

[@cocnepcionesquer7068]

He will be missed a very nice guy ...❤️✝️

[@dorothyhorton-wenzel4436]

Burt was a sweet and gentle soul. I will miss you.

[@JohnHonda101]

RIP you Legend.

[@glennfromthebronx]

...what a terrific interview with the now deceased Burt Reynolds. Maybe there was something in the air...the water....but this was one of the most engaged interviews I've ever seen with Burt...and I've watched nearly 2 dozen...about half before he died...and the balance since then. Burt revealed more in this interview...I believe,,,because the interviewer seemed to focus on the WORK: his work in movies, appearances on talk shows, people he knew.

[@luvdatcat6017]

Interesting insight into Reynold's life with lovely, sweet interviewer.

[@reginasemenenko148]

It seems like Burt learned a lot as he got older and it's a shame he didn't get to spend his life with someone he really loved and who really loved him in return.

[@vivaanjulius9467]

instaBlaster...

[@lonicherryne6885]

Yes Sally fields of corse

[@sspbrazil]

I think he was a difficult person to be with.

[@doglover-sv4zi]

He loved Dinah Shore and regretted not marrying her

[@pamb.2493]

@@sspbrazil aren't we all?

[@gaellemaz3727]

What a lovely man he was. I am sad knowing that he is gone now.

[@scottbrandts610]

His voice is so soothing and relaxing. Odd for a guy to say, but, I wish this had been the man who'd read me bedtime stories before I went to sleep as a boy.

[@joegrandanette6367]

I loved Burt Reynolds. I miss you .

[@bruceknight4442]

I loved that moment in 'Smokey & The Bandit', when Burt broke the fourth wall, by smiling at the camera. 😎

[@lorimiller4301]

That was a great moment.

[@MNWILD43]

Love Burt!! Grew up watching him as a kid! I can see some sadness on the way he speaks. It sucks watching the people you grew up watching now leaving us.

[@rodneydockins3485]

I loved this man I'm not sure that he knew how many people loved him and how much joy he brought to us.

[@pamb.2493]

I did get to tell him how much he meant to me, and he thanked me for saying such nice things ... it was a wonderful moment I will always treasure

[@tinylilobserver]

What a marvelous man, and surprisingly (or not) an absolutely marvelous teacher. This interviewer did her homework, bless her. This is a gem to watch. So grateful to have a stand out interview that isn't about cheap sensationalism, that rises way above that. Thank you, @guardianmembers!!!❤️ #RIPBurtReynolds #nopretense #realdeal

[@maryannemelenka9250]

Hes right about hollywood, its not like it was. Its fun to tour, but you can sense the plasticity of it, even as a tourist. I was in hollywood in 2014, they were setting up for the oscar show, even then I could sense phoniness.

[@user-fu2lh7up2i]

He was a great wonderful actor with enough charm to light up the world which he did for many many years!

[@johnppg]

I was at burts ranch in jupiter.. Couldn't get over the small animal farm /zoo.. Great time.. Back in the 80's. RIP ..

[@carmelitalanza9540]

This interview is as real as it gets. He was really wonderful!! Completely entertaining & a gorgeous man!!

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

Man, that interview was moving - Burt is a real man

[@linda8485]

From what the women in his life said about him - Burt was a real coward. That's why at the end of his life he was sad and alone.

[@linda8485]

@TJ Tenser That is very true. But I would call what he did in his life more than just some mistakes.

[@AlexJEdits]

Burt is the man. One of the coolest movie stars. I certainly would have loved to see him play Bond just for the heck of it.

[@tommy1138]

A true legend. A man's man and one of the last REAL movie stars.

[@diogenes5654]

Burt had fought off Rx drug addiction deciding to live with the pain of his broken body many years ago. I think perhaps this book tour has taken its toll on him and he has been forced to take pills again. Sad to see. If you watch some of his other interviews and his "Table of Five" episode, he is a kind hearted, thoughtful, insightful, witty and funny guy. Don't judge him harshly. He's an 80 yr old man with a broken body and a broken heart - wish to hell Field would just give him the courtesy of a friendly phone call.

[@jmeekselectric]

True. It looks like he's off the wagon, but he's 80 and shot his body to hell doing stunts. Search "Burt Reynolds Seamus Stunt." I'm surprised that alone didn't kill him. These were the days before TC had to "sneak" the shot from MI: 2. Today there is no way a star would be allowed to do their own stunts. Sadly he's broke too. He lived one hell of a life but he has even sold his Golden Globe to pay off Loni Anderson. I hope things are looking up.

[@jdmdealers]

Burt is a great actor & he has been very blessed to be in so many wonderful movies. Sadly, in my opinion, Burt should have never married Loni Anderson. He should have stayed with Sally. To this day Burt says he blew it when he left her. You can tell by his voice he means it. Loni really ripped Burt a new one in court. She took him to the cleaners like a typical gold digger would do. Yes, she was younger & very attractive but, she always gave me the impression of a complete fake. Kind of reminds me of what Robbin Givens did to the great boxer mike Tyson. Really sad how females can play guys for money. I can only hope fate deals Loni some future bad really karma.

[@absoluteb22]

While you suggest ''Burt'' is ''stuck in the eighties'' you actually comment like you know these people!

[@sherryd3299]

I'm not sure that he's on pain pills again. He is just old and in pain. When you get to that age you speak slowly and walk slowly. He has quadruple bypass surgery and that can really take it out of you.

[@barbaraderbabian344]

Elizabeth Beckhusen

[@ramtha9]

I love Burt.

[@cliffbacken]

I love Burt …..I just got out of 4 years in the military.. got home to Brooklyn NY and went out to the movies one night to see Paternity.. with Burt … very funny .. Went with a girl who ended up being the most important person love of my life.. That started a relationship that has never ended in 44 years…. Every moment with her … was everything to me….. I lost her a little over a decade ago to lung Cancer… and yet Burt was part of that.. Our first date….. He is forever associated with Slim to the day I leave for the other side…. Bless that guy.!!!

[@maxmason6053]

A legend and one of few true gentlemen in the entertainment business. R.I.P. Gator.

[@leemuswhite6377]

RIP i liked him in smokey and the bandit

[@beverlymcnamara9483]

Lee White Burt was much more than Smokey and the Bandit. He was a genius Actor.

[@willrobinson3662]

Lee White To be completely honest- my favorite movie starring Burt Reynolds is All Dogs Go to Heaven because I watched it on videocassette a long time ago.

[@codeblue2532]

Will Robinson :::TrueThat ! I was especially attracted and entertained by “BREAKING IN” because of being a Portland Oregon resident (1989) and the iconic Corno’s scenes...

[@leemuswhite6377]

@@willrobinson3662 films i also liked Burt in "The Longest Yard 1974 version year i was born, and also Deliverance 1972.

[@cocnepcionesquer7068]

How harsh and judge mental we can be all I remember he gave us lots of laughs, I always enjoy ed his interviews and movies , R.I.P.

[@AwesomeAlexAdam]

Gr8 under rated actor RIP

[@graniteguy8410]

What a GREAT interview.... THANK YOU

[@compsecure77]

Great in Sharkey's Machine with his friend Charles Durning and Brian Keith wow what a movie.

[@joeygonzo]

Sharkey's Machine ! Burt had the gift of telling stories .

[@betoavitiah]

Thank You Burt, You and Your films make me happy...RIP 😄

[@sandiangel]

Burt seemed very sad that night

[@marktate9823]

Great actor r.i.p legend

[@elvis-jj1sc]

met him in west palm beach at car show great guy!

[@stevebutler812]

Regrets. That's what we get when we get so old we look at 25 year olds and think they look like High Schoolers. We realize it's nearer death, and we can't go back. Fear. Nobody wants to die, or be old and percieved as "old". People see right through old people, look past us. Hurts.

[@maxipazz8214]

I love elders

[@frenchprovincial9602]

He's amazing . I love Burt Reynolds a real movie star. RIP

[@velvet2406]

Wow he loved his craft. A lovely soul

[@janesindel9260]

Anyone who watches this interview should see his last film, "The Last Movie Star". This was a role written specifically for Burt. Had he turned down the part, the director was not going to make the film at all. He was sensational.

[@vowelsounds6312]

I agree 100%

[@garywallace5602]

The Fred Astaire anectote with Charles Durning...did me in! 😭

[@jmack3411]

A beautiful story. You could always tell how much Burt loved Charles.

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

Burt Lancaster, gracious of Burt Reynolds to remind us of him - Another real macho man

[@bobtrumpisongodssideandvic5156]

GLAD TO OF GOT TO SEE THIS INTERVIEW, IT SHOWS A TRUE GREAT ACTOR. VERRY DOWN TO EARTH, WISHED I COULD OF KNOWN HIM IN REAL LIFE AS A FRIEND. IN HIS MOVIES HE WAS A FRIEND, FRIEND TO ALL MANKIND, GOD BLESSED HIM AS WE WERE TO SEE THESE MOVIES. GOD NOW HAS BERT IN HEAVEN, BERT IS STILL BEING BLESSED.

[@bobtrumpisongodssideandvic5156]

I BELIEVE BERT. I HAD DOUBLE DISLOCATED JAWS WITH SEVERE CASE OF TMJ, CAUSED FROM AUTO WREAK. WHEN I TRIED TO EAT, THE PAIN & HEADAKES WERE SO SEVERE THAT IT TOOK 7 OR MORE TIMES TO EAT OVER A PERIOD OF 3 OR SO DAYS TOFINISH THE ONE PLATE OF FOOD. I WAS LUCKY, ALONG WITH FULL BRACES, IT TOOK 6 YEARS TO BEGIN TO GET BETTER. I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT BUT I GOT THROUGH IT WITH VITAMINS. IT TOOK MANY KINDS OF VITAMINS. WITH THE LOSS OF MUSCLE, APOTITE, HEAD & NECK AKE, IT WAS HARD TO GET BACK TO THE HUMAN POPULATION. WISH BERT COULD OF RECOVERED, LOVE HIS MOVIES, LOVE & SORRY FOR THIS GREAT MAN. GOD BLESS YOU BERT, I KNOW GOD NEEDED YOU IN HEAVEN WITH HIM.

[@dirkbogarde44]

He's talking about Ron Jeremy on Boogie Nights......you can't blame him.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

Nice hair mate

[@robf6105]

I immediately thought he was talking about Ron Jeremy when he said that.

[@dirkbogarde44]

@@cockoffgewgle4993 Oh, hello Ross. A year late.

[@danielromeo3165]

Burt Reynolds have a lovely personality. And Black trans am :-)

[@csandford6011]

I miss you Bert

[@nadiawalker4584]

What a sweet man.

[@salparadise5335]

Sad to hear about his feelings towards BOOGIE NIGHTS- great film and he;s great in it.

[@solenelle]

He's such an interesting guy, after watching him for an hour, you don't even notice his glasses are broken.

[@mikeornelas5243]

Miss you Burt!

[@salgaldenco]

Burt is emotional and this interviewer is constantly snickering. Very annoying.

[@janetclaireSays]

It's unfortunate that he seemed to be so sad, hurt and bitter here so close to the end of his life. The interviewer is a little off here, perhaps uncomfortable with his dark, pensive mood she seems to be trying to cheer him up or balance it for the audience but the laughter is tone deaf and feels intrusive.

[@cpospish]

R I P.......

[@edwardallan197]

There is just so much to admire & respect about this man. I can't imagine seeing his equal again.

[@WOODBINEMAN99]

Burt was one of the most devastatingly handsome men there ever was

[@adolphthomas2230]

LOOKING BACK 👀.. SUCH Enchanted Feelings.. Sometimes..😂 Hallelujahs Happiness 😊 Blessings 🙏!!

[@Bassguitar1231]

Burt had a place in the Jupiter Plantation, Jupiter, fla. for the actors at his Reynolds Playhouse, he was a regular, down to earth nice guy ! The Way We Were, was a Great movie with Burt and Candice Bergen

[@coldwinter5710]

The Way We Were was with Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand

[@coldwinter5710]

Burt was in an excellent movie with Candice Burgen, in which he should've been nominated for an Academy Award, called "Starting Over". She also had a smaller role in another film of his called "Stick".

[@JimSmith-yi9tz]

December, 2016, wow, this is the future...

[@donnaking3344]

Everything is temporary.

[@marcusmaxim]

I would have love to meet him in person and talk about life. Greeting´s from Germany :-)

[@alixegabriel972]

💙💙💙💞💓He is missed!!!!!

[@ohioyodertoter6827]

one person that money didn't change love smokey the bandit and cannonball run I doubt any actors of todays generation will ever come close to him he will be missed

[@wagtec]

I finally can say I like this guy, since I didn't when he came off as conceded back in his glory days.

[@7550375503]

wegtec: Conceited.

[@scottbrandts610]

23:53 Who is the "disgusting man" on the BOOGIE NIGHTS set Burt's referring to?

[@wa798]

His disgust for Boogie Nights trips me out...sounds to me like he thought he was better than everybody else on that movie & felt above them. Never heard anything but praises from Paul Thomas Anderson when speaking about Burt.

[@marcusmorrison3292]

He was and always will be better than everyone else in that film.

[@terry4137]

WCLSmooth, he didn’t like the subject matter! Either did I!

[@lorimiller4301]

Maybe morally he felt that way ? He said he was ashamed that he did the Centerfold shoot too.

[@DEBORAHAJONES-gv5hu]

Lori Miller you have to remember he grew up in the 40’s and 50’s I think exotic movies in general is what he was talking about and he may have felt embarrassed about it

[@jimmyfreeman5714]

He doesn't like or want to promote that world. It's foul, and he doesn't want people to think he whole heatedly endorses that life style.

[@doodles9358]

his stories seem to run on and your never sure where they're going but then they all have great punch lines!!

[@kevindodd4417]

I reckon Pedro Pascal should be cast to play Burt if there is ever a movie about him

[@salparadise5335]

How can this be published in 2015, if it happened last December?

[@michaelmuldowney8]

He always seemed more comfortable doing comedies but he was a fine dramatic actor as well. Some of his movies need serious reappraisal - SHARKYS MACHINE and SEMI TOUGH come to mind immediately.

[@innocuous2921]

I enjoyed this.

[@HeyWatchMeGo]

Great time with an exceptional actor and human being!

[@Truthmoses]

2 questions: 1. 2:42. What was it? 2. whered it go?

[@joshrandall7346]

Great man!!!

[@thyslop1737]

Interesting interview. Liked him for the most part as an actor, never thought of him as funny.

[@borisdaley5542]

Great

[@kenrawley9025]

Great interview. The audience must have been comatose; almost no response. How did they find so many duds?

[@ben8447]

I think the audience were being respectful and simply listening. They were also not near a microphone.

[@stevebutler812]

Nerds at Google...probably on their cell phones

[@chriswainwright185]

RIP Burt

[@zapataattack5843]

I see 2 books on Amazon and they seem to both be written by Burt. I'm confused 😕. Did he write 2 autobiographies?? What is the name of the book they are talking about in this video and which one was written by Burt? Can someone please help me? Thank you.

[@ubercaulking3656]

Even at 80 Burt can still cut the mustard. He will be missed.

[@eljefe5536]

Great.

[@mariaperezperez3385]

I wished I had met this actor 😻😻

[@csandford6011]

Burt was the best in the Bandit.

[@alecball68]

Mr Reynolds thanks

[@robingray3221]

Burt was one great actor. He was a humble person. Burt you will always be loved.

[@velvet2406]

Wished they had an older person interviewing him here

[@gigman666]

BR is a cool dude....I love him

[@Dr.KurtAffair_ActingGuru]

Cannonball Run II is his greatest work. 🎉

[@dabneyoffermein595]

Burt was so healthy right up to the end, always very fit, never ever overweight.

[@garywallace5602]

Burt, followed his heart rather than his head for his movie choices. Personally, I'd much rather watch "The Cannonball Run" than "Terms of Endearment" any day.

[@andrews527]

Does anybody else hate those flesh-colored mic screens?

[@zubeidakaker1228]

Yes I thought it was a large spot on his face

[@gozzagoss6182]

Now what an old school decent fun loving guy who made it to the top as an Actor. RIP Mr Reynolds you clearly cared about your friends very much, classy man compared to the crop of disgusting aged actors who have such an arrogance and elitist attitude.

[@notchmusic4758]

Seeing as he acted in the movie he can say whatever he wants about it. Secondly, it's a paycheck, not something that's going to change the world. Quit looking at actors, musicians, producers, writers etc....to be a gift from God for you to follow. They are talented people who got the lucky break. That is all !

[@chuckfinley3542]

The overly giggly interviewer is the same person who interviewed Jordan Peterson for the British GQ. In the Peterson interview she tried to do a takedown of him and failed spectacularly. Available on YT.

[@joeygonzo]

Burt missed bagging Garbo ? Unbelievable .

[@jeffryhutchinson1880]

Burt 👍🏼🇩🇰

[@schuey999]

RIP Bandit