Jason Isaacs Feared Michael Bay Would Sack Him on Day One of ‘Armageddon’

While filming ‘Armageddon’, Jason Isaacs had to contend with more than just an asteroid.

 While appearing on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, the actor reflected back on his nerve-wracking first day on the set of the 1998 movie.  Isaacs recalled that when he performed his opening scene, director Michael Bay questioned him right away.

Known for his audacious directing, Bay questioned Isaacs about whether his performance was the product of theatre training, which made the actor feel as though he was going to lose his job.  Isaacs acknowledged that he became anxious, believing he was “declaiming all over the place,” and felt he had wasted his chance for a big-budget movie.

Feeling agitated, he hurried to Bay to inquire if it had been awful.  He was shocked to hear that Bay thought the performance was excellent.  But for Isaacs, the entire situation felt like the worst-case scenario.

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The film stars Bruce Willis and follows NASA’s mission to recruit oil drillers to destroy an asteroid threatening Earth. It was a global success, earning over $550 million and gaining a cult following.

Isaacs portrayed NASA scientist Ronald Quincy, whose audacious scheme ultimately saves the world.  Still, he conceded the experience wasn’t always glamorous.  He wondered if his character, who is the brightest man on Earth, would actually be holding a papier-mâché asteroid on a stick at one point during production.

 Despite his concerns at the time, Isaacs not only proceeded to land jobs but also became a famous name in film and television, from ‘Harry Potter’ to ‘The White Lotus’.

–Farheen Ali