‘Thunderbolts*’ stuntman reveals embarrassing first interaction with Florence Pugh
Hey there, Miss Flo.
“Thunderbolts*” stunt performer Joe Dryden exclusively told The Post that he had an embarrassing first interaction with the star of Marvel’s new blockbuster movie.
He recalled being decked out in a brunette wig, an oversize helmet and glasses to film Bucky Barnes’ (Sebastian Stan) infamous motorcycle scene when he met Pugh, 29.
“I just remember being in this thing and obviously my friends are laughing and we’re having good jokes and we are having a giggle about it,” he said. “I knew what I looked like and I felt ridiculous. And then I was sitting on the bike and we were lining up for a shot and I was getting ready to go and I see this SUV pull in. It’s all blacked out and right away I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s the cast, I’m sure.’
“The door opens and Florence walks out,” Dryden continued. “And I just remember sitting there thinking like, ‘Ugh, I can’t believe I’m wearing this helmet right now.’”
He called Pugh “brilliant” and said that he “was such a fan” of her past work, including “Oppenheimer,” before they met.
But he didn’t lose focus on the job just because of his fandom.
“I see her right away. I’m like, ‘[Look] straight ahead, just do your job. It’s fine. No big deal,’” Dryden explained. “And I can see her out of my peripherals walking over. And I was like, ‘Oh, come on.’ And she’s so sweet.
“She comes over and introduces herself. She’s like, ‘I’m Florence,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m Joe, nice to meet you.’ And she’s like, ‘I’ve seen some of the dailies and you’re doing some amazing stuff. It’s incredible, it looks so good,’” he recalled. “And I was just like, ‘I can’t believe I’m wearing this helmet and goggles right now.’”
Dryden noted the irony that Pugh, Stan, 42, and the rest of the “Thunderbolts*” cast joked about his wig and helmet look when they appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last month.
Kimmel, 57, pulled up the embarrassing picture of Dryden and said that he “went to the worst wig person.”
Both Pugh and Stan praised his work and called him “one of the best motorcyclists” in the country.
Dryden, who posted a clip of the interview moment on Instagram, told The Post how he learned about the late-night interaction.
“Somebody sent it to me. I didn’t see it originally. Somebody sent to me and then I reposted it on my page,” he shared. “And that thing just, like, caught fire. I think it’s got almost 500,000 views on my page, which I only have, like, 7,000 followers. It was pretty funny.”
Dryden continued: “I knew what I looked like and I knew it was ridiculous. But I also know the ins and outs of it all. It’s easier for VFX to shrink down my head a little bit and the hair movement is natural and it’s just easier. And also I will always wear a helmet if I’m given the option, no matter how ridiculous I look. I’m totally fine with that.”
The stunt coordinator noted he’s not offended by Wyatt Russell jokingly saying on Kimmel’s show that his wig looked like an animal.
“It really is hilarious because it’s exactly how I felt,” he said. “I’m a good sport about it and I just think it is really funny. And sometimes it’s cool that the audience and fans get a little bit of a peek behind the scenes.”
“Thunderbolts*” is in theaters now.
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