In an insightful video, Sam Rockwell details the ingenious methods the filmmaking team employed to create the scenes where his character spat at Tom Hanks and David Morse’s character Brutus:
“I can’t recall if any real spitting occurred, but Tom [Hanks] was up for it. He was completely accommodating. For the saliva effects, we utilized egg whites, and then we concocted a chocolate mixture. This concoction was then squirted using a turkey baster directly in his face. Meanwhile, the award-winning makeup artist Lois Burwell was tasked with adding zits to my backside and additional embellishments like liver spots on my face. Paying attention to the minutiae is integral. Those details cumulate to forge a truly complete, multi-faceted individual, or in my case, a human pus ball.”
Although the chocolate mixture was probably for a Moon Pie scene aimed at Morse, the sizeable gob that landed on Hanks’s face appears to have been simulated using egg white. Disgusting as it may be. The character of Wild Bill is so outlandishly vile, but thanks to the extreme attention to detail and Rockwell’s dedication to portraying him as an authentic person—albeit a “pus ball”—the character is convincingly portrayed.
FAQ about ‘The Green Mile’ Spitting Scene
- Did Sam Rockwell actually spit on Tom Hanks during filming?
Sam Rockwell indicates that he may not have actually spit, but Tom Hanks was prepared for it if necessary.
- What substances were used to create the spit effect?
Egg whites were used to replicate drool, while a chocolate paste was utilized for other spitting effects.
- How was the spit applied to Tom Hanks’s face?
The chocolate paste spit was applied using a turkey baster, implying a less direct method than real spitting.
Conclusion
The making of ‘The Green Mile’ involved some unique and somewhat unappetizing behind-the-scenes antics, particularly in the creation of the spitting scenes involving Sam Rockwell and Tom Hanks. Through the combination of unusual materials like egg whites and chocolate paste, along with the expertise of Oscar-winning makeup artist Lois Burwell, the film succeeded in presenting Rockwell’s character, Wild Bill, as a convincingly detestable yet impressively detailed villain. Such dedication to filmmaking craft exemplifies the lengths to which actors and crew will go to bring authenticity to their characters, no matter how disagreeable the actions they must portray may be.