Meat Loaf Shadowed David Fincher on ‘Fight Club’ for 10 Months, Helped Edit Movie
The second rule of “Fight Club“? There are never too many cooks in the kitchen, and definitely never enough Meat Loaf.
The late “Bat Out of Hell” rocker, who died at age 74 on January 20, reportedly assisted director David Fincher in editing iconic film “Fight Club,” in which Meat Loaf starred as bodybuilder Robert “Bob” Paulson.
Meat Loaf, whose real name is Marvin Lee Aday, first made his acting debut in 1975’s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” and later went on to star in “Wayne’s World,” “Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny,” “Wishcraft,” and “Wishin’ and ‘Hopin’.” Yet “Fight Club” remained a favorite project for the Grammy winner.
In a resurfaced 2016 interview with The AV Club, Meat Loaf recalled working closely with Fincher. “I hardly spent any time in my trailer for almost 10 months,” Meat Loaf explained. “I sat next to David the entire time. Well, not next to him — I would have driven him crazy — but close, like behind him, so I could see what was going on and what he was seeing. It got to the point, about four or five months into filming, that we’d break for lunch, and Fincher would call me into his trailer and say, ‘I want you to help me pick which one I should use.’ Of course, in my head I’m going, ‘What?'”
Meat Loaf began helping Fincher select takes of the Brad Pitt and Edward Norton–led film in the editing room.
“The first time he did that, I said, ‘I can’t do that,’ and he goes, ‘Yeah, you can. You’ve been sitting next to me, so help me pick out the best one,'” Meat Loaf continued. “His average take was 44, so we’d sit there and watch 40 takes, and he’d go, ‘Which one did you like the best,’ and I’d say something like, ‘Well, it’s either 24 or 26,’ and he’d say, ‘I agree with you, 26.'”
And Meat Loaf never limited his talents and keen ears (and eyes) to one industry.
“I don’t consider myself a musician,” Meat Loaf noted, citing his “Focus” producer Rob Cavallo’s slogan for him. “He said, ‘Meat Loaf is an actor who acts like he can sing’…”
Meat Loaf’s death was announced on his official Facebook page on January 20. “Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife Deborah by his side,” the statement read. “Daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends have been with him throughout the last 24 hours.”
Meat Loaf’s agent confirmed his passing to CNN. A cause of death has not been disclosed.
