According to Page Six, the actor recently alleged that he was dismissed from “The Object of My Affection,” the 1998 romantic comedy drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, after a producer told him he could not be “funnier” than the picture’s leading star.
Stephen Baldwin Says His Time on the Film Ended Almost as Soon as It Began
Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast One Bad Movie, Baldwin recalled being cast as Vince McBride, the boyfriend of Aniston’s character Nina Borowski in Nicholas Hytner’s adaptation of Stephen McCauley’s novel. The role ultimately went to John Pankow, who appears in the finished product alongside Aniston and Rudd.
Baldwin said production took an unexpected turn on his second day of shooting when a producer allegedly approached him with concerns about his performance. Recounting the exchange, the actor claimed he was told, “You can’t be funnier than Jennifer.” The remark caught him off guard, prompting what he described as a bewildered response: “Is this a joke? This is a comedy movie!”
The actor maintained that he was not sharing the story to attack anyone involved in the production. Instead, he framed it as an example of how the entertainment industry sometimes operates behind the scenes, summing up the experience with the observation that “Hollywood’s Hollywood.”
According to Baldwin, he attempted to adjust his approach after the conversation and scale back some of the comedic elements he had brought to the role. He remembered questioning the situation internally, thinking, “You hired me to play a role, and now you’re telling me not to play that role.”
His involvement with the project did not last much longer. Baldwin said he was informed shortly afterward that his services were no longer needed. “They let me go. They told me I could go home,” he recalled, describing the outcome as awkward rather than hostile.
Released in 1998, “The Object of My Affection” followed a New York social worker, played by Aniston, who develops feelings for her gay roommate, portrayed by Rudd, while navigating an unexpected pregnancy. The film earned mixed reviews from critics but performed solidly at the box office, grossing nearly $47 million worldwide against a reported $15 million budget.