Laurence Fishburne has shared a difficult experience from his early days as an actor, recalling a scene in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 film Apocalypse Now where he struggled to convey sexual experience due to his own lack of it at the time. The Matrix star recounted the incident in Apple TV+’s new documentary Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood.
Fishburne said that during the filming, Coppola repeatedly asked him to re-enact a scene about sex, with Fishburne doing 40 takes before feeling frustrated and dejected. However, he remembered some uplifting words from fellow actor Martin Sheen, who told him he was a “really good actor” just as Coppola was about to leave the set.
The incident is not Fishburne’s most fond memory from his time on Apocalypse Now, but it did not seem to impact their professional relationship. The two have worked together on several other projects throughout their careers, including Rumble Fish, The Cotton Club, and Megalopolis.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/laurence-fishburne-francis-ford-coppola-disappointed-apocalypse-now-1236175363