THE SHIELD: Cast Reunion (2018) Favorite Scenes Recalled

This Cast Reunion show was quality...

Not only all kinds of memories and favorite scenes shared, but some really fascinating behind the scenes stuff.

Few Anecdotal Curiosities:

Kenny Johnson (Lem): "People on the street, tough guys actually got pissed at me for burning Money Train cash. I had to tell them -- 'hey, it wasn't me, it was the writers. If it were up to me...." Poor guy hated to be written out of the show, BUT.

Michael Chiklis and Forrest Whitaker developed bad vibes....

Whitaker, a great actor whose role was spectacular IMO, took his anti-Vic character to heart (maybe because he was 'Method Acting'?)...

Chiklis tells of the fight scene where Whitaker's character head-butts Mackey, splitting Chiklis lip. The only problem: It was supposed to be a NON-Contact scene, reinforced THREE times. So yes, the two did NOT apparently get along -- and presumably, this was probably the reason Forrest Whitaker was a no-show at this reunion show (would have been cool had he been there.)


Both Forrest Whitaker and David Marchiano (Aceveda) could not believe how the show's half-hero, half villain Vic Mackey could be so beloved out on the street. Marchiano tells how Whitaker bemoaned: "They (the public) actually HATE me!"

One of the scenes shown: Mackey staring up at Aceveda who is looking down from his superior upstairs perch: "Happy Cinco de MAAA-YOOO...."

The cast was in awe of the entire show's process, its writing, the way the entire cast upped their game every week, their shocking /unpredictable story-lines that surprised even them. They knew at the time just how special a show it was and were proud of it. They were also proud of and impressed with fans. Great to see their mutual genuine love and respect for one other -- which included show creator, Shawn Ryan, who played sort the Emcee for the show. Very tight-knit group.

Ryan broke down near the end....

I will say that I saw quite a bit of the actors' own personalities indeed injected into their main characters in the show.

Really worth watching if you are a fan of the show. Not your usual BS "Reunion" fluff. (YouTube reaction / comments are worthy & outstanding in this case as well). Best. TV show. Ever. Quality and intrigue right till the end.



Another vid -- 2+ minutes of Chiklis explaining how he handled such intense scenes (also very good).



Chiklis on his acting (NOT 'Method Acting' like say DiNiro who became his character); he was NOT bringing home either his character's alter ego OR the stress "Vic" was under. "I left 'Vic Mackey' on the set, went home to my wife and family, had a regular life. It's a role I played."

At one point after a particularly upsetting scene (when he smashed and fried a guy's face on a stove), the intensity of the scene really shook him up -- but especially Walton Goggins was rattled, taking it to heart...

Driving home, a freaked out Goggins to Chiklis: "Man, what did we just do? I can't believe it." Chiklis: "Nothing. We just did a scene. We'll all just go home. That ain't us. We're actors."

quote:

---

I can definitely see that from Forrest Whitaker, he just gives off vibes of someone that takes acting very serious.

---

Total Immersion, that guy. Yup. To a fault though. (Chiklis was NOT happy about Whitaker's personal hatred projected toward "Vic Mackey", onto Michael Chiklis, Actor. What we saw was real. Whitaker also apparently resented the adulation "Vic" got from the public. Also weird. )

I'd read where Whitaker got totally wrapped up in his Idi Amin role -- packing on 30-40 lbs, living IN Uganda just so he could stay in character and not lose his "Ugandan accent."

I have watched this reunion many times. The Shield was so damn good.

Yeah I think it's been posted here before; I watched it not too long ago.

Most interesting thing was how much of the cast knew each other, because the budget was so low that they had to cast friends. And then they were winning awards within a year, on a network that had never done an original drama series before. Incredible.

A little weird how much they got into their roles. Almost makes you wonder if Chiklis tasted Whitaker's wife's sweet butter.

Still can't believe what Shane did to Lem.