And they did come out to play, this weekend in Coney Island. If you’ve never seen the awesome yet awful cult classic The Warriors, you’re missing out on a true cinematic gem.
The cast got together this past weekend to reminisce about the flick and one of my favorite little tidbits involve how the cast physically prepared to run around shirtless with leather vests.
On working out: “Fortunately I had taken up jogging and went four miles a day,” says Waites, “I also started training for the role: 50 push-ups, sit-ups, 6 days a week. By the time we started I felt like I was prepared for it.”
On working out: “I had no workout routine, I guess I was just burning a lot of calories running around going to auditions,” says Wright.
On working out: “I was really in shape by the time we started and I’m glad,” says Harris, “with all that running and fighting we did. Walter (Hill, the director) wanted actors who he thought could handle it, all the physical stuff. And of course we’d pump up before the cameras started rolling, do a few push-ups.”
On working out: I always used to run, lift weights, I was in shape before they cast me. I still do it to this day.”
On working out: “We met at the Gulf and Western (now the Trump International Hotel) every morning at 5 to get ferried to wherever we were shooting that day,” remembers Beck. “Every day at 2:30 AM I was at the west side YMCA pumping iron, moving around. I’d do a 5 mile run every day, usually through central park. The experience of the film alone was enough to keep you in shape.”
Now think about how that compares to actors of today who need personal chefs, trainers, diets and drugs to get ripped for a film. These guys are like “yeah, I banged out a couple push-ups and was ripped for the film.”
For the complete interview, check out Man’s Life.