15 Swinging Stories Behind The Making Of The ‘Austin Powers’ Movies
On the cusp of the 25th anniversary of the most colorful international spy in cinematic history, here’s a look at some behind-the-scenes shenanigans during the making of the Austin Powers franchise. Insert your own favorite catchphrase here.
Verne Troyer Convinced Seth Green To Drive Him Around In A Golf Cart
New Line Cinema
Troyer, who played the scene-stealing Mini-Me character, was apparently a real charmer on set, and at one stage even got Green (Scott Evil) to chauffeur him around in a speeding golf cart while security chased after them.
Heather Graham Was Kind Of Turned On By The Fat Bastard Scene
New Line Cinema
Said the actress of her romping scene with the cannibalistic Scotsman (played by Myers in a latex suit): ”He had moles with hair sticking out of them, and a hairy butt, and even a male genital organ, but it was so covered in fat you could barely see it.”
Apparently the crew also filled the bed with greasy turkey pieces and old bread because things sure were different back then. ”It was really gross, but it kind of turned me on.”
Jim Carrey Almost Played Dr. Evil
New Line Cinema / Ian Smith, Wikimedia Commons
In an alternate universe with their very own Hollywood Bonkerswood, Mike Myers relinquished his title of Man Playing Many Man to have that other silly ‘90s Canadian suck on his own pinky or whatever. We imagine Carrey playing a Dr. Evil in that universe with just an incredible head of hair.
Carrey would’ve taken on the part, too, if it weren’t for his schedule conflict with Liar Liar.
Beyoncé Criticized The Poster Of Goldmember Because It Made Her Look “Too Skinny”
When the marketing team showed her the promotional poster, Beyoncé gave them a nope, drew an hourglass figure, and asked them to change it. Makeup artist Kate Biscoe said: "She walked away to go do the scene, and I looked at him (the marketing exec) and smiled, like, 'Is that the first time that you've ever had an actress ask to make her body bigger?' He was like, 'Yes. It's going to cost me thousands of dollars, but I am going to do it.'"
Austin Powers Was A Tribute To Mike Myers’ Dad
New Line Cinema
The actor told the Hollywood Reporter: “After my dad died in 1991, I was taking stock of his influence on me as a person and his influence on me with comedy in general. So Austin Powers was a tribute to my father, who James Bond, Peter Sellers, The Beatles, The Goodies, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.”
Myers went on to say that he wrote the first draft and the backbone of the script in two weeks.
Director Jay Roach Based The Fembots On The Castle Anthrax Scene In Monty Python And The Holy Grail
Roach presented the storyboards of the fembots to the then CEO of New Line Cinema Bob Shaye as well as Michael De Luca, who loved it so much they gave the movie the greenlight right then and there.
Larry Thomas Almost Played “Number Two”
New Line Cinema
Thomas ended up playing the blackjack dealer in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, but he was initially up for the role that ultimately went to Robert Wagner.
“My manager kept calling and told me Mike Myers wrote this film called Austin Powers and there was this really fun character called Number Two. They didn’t have an answer from their celebrity offer, and I was halfway there when she told me the celebrity offer was taken, but they wanted to offer me a cameo because they liked me as the Soup Nazi in Seinfeld.”
The Austin Powers Theme Song Was Originally The Song Of A Canadian Game Show
Quincy Jones originally wrote the song for an ‘80s Canadian game show called Definition. Jones remastered the song for the film franchise.
The Princess Diana Reference That Was Cut For The UK Release
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery opened on the same weekend Princess Diana died, so the reference about Prince Charles cheating on her was cut from the UK film premiere.
Dr. Evil Was Played As Part Donald Pleasance, Part Lorne Michaels
New Line Cinema
Said Mike Myers: “The Dr. Evil voice is a little bit Lorne Michaels, there are no two ways about it, but there is a lot more Donald Pleasence in there than Lorne. Lorne has a pinky thing, but he doesn’t do it anymore.”
Austin Powers Put Sphynx Cats On The Map
New Line Cinema
Ted Nudegent, the sphynx cat known in Austin Powers as Mr. Bigglesworth, caused many people to not only learn about the expensive breed for the first time, but also clamber to get their hands on one. Perks: No cat hair on the couch.
Some Countries Did Not Care For The Second Movie’s Title
New Line Cinema
Guess which part of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me made some countries’ censors uncomfortable. Singapore changed the title to The Spy Who Shioked Me (“shiok” meaning “treat nicely”), and Malaysia opted for The Spy Who Dot-Dot-Dot Me, because that doesn’t elicit any foul thoughts at all.
It Took The Crew 7 Hours To Transform Mike Myers Into Fat Bastard
New Line Cinema
Underneath the suit, Myers wore an auto racing “cool suit” to fight the heat. The Stan Winston Studio team who created the suit also included an emergency “waste evacuator,” so there’s an answer to a question we didn’t even know we had.
Goldmember Was Inspired By HBO’s Raunchy Show Real Sex
New Line Cinema
Said Mike Myers: "I write at night, which is when Real Sex, this show about sexuality around the world, is on. It's always good for a giggle. They had on a guy who had a sex barn north of Rotterdam, a three-quarters replica of the red-light district in Amsterdam. He was saying stuff like (puts on a Dutch accent), 'For 400 years, it used to house the cows. Now it houses the couples.'"
Mike Myers Had A Special Chair On Set
New Line Cinema
Instead of his name, it said: “SIR STINKY BOTTOM, VISCOUNT OF STINKVANIA IN THE BOTTOM-IC EMPIRE.”
Thumbnail: New Line Cinema
