The actors reunited in 2015 to chat with Entertainment Weekly about the beloved thriller.
We are sharing it again now following news ofCaan’s death at 82.
Misery loves company, andKathy BatesandJames Caansure seem to be enjoying each other’s.
Kathy Bates and James Caan in ‘Misery’.Everett Collection
It’s almost hard to get them to stop chatting long enough to take a photo.
It was also essentially a two-hander.
“It was a great experience for me, being my first big film,” says Bates.
Kathy Bates in ‘Misery’.Everett Collection
Well, most bygones.
“Hey, you asked for it,” she says.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Did you two meet onMisery?
KATHY BATES:Yes, we did.
BATES:I came from stage.
I imagine seeing her with a sledgehammer brings back a lot of warm memories.
Your legs were down through the mattress, right?
CAAN: No, those were my legs.
You hit those legs.
BATES: No, I did not… BATES: I decided when I die, it’s going to be Kathy “Misery” Bates.
You know how they do, inPeoplemagazine, it’ll be “Kathy ‘Misery’ Bates passed away.”
BATES: I hadn’t done anything.
CAAN: The hiatus, yeah.
I guess that’s what it was.
I had a bad bout for a little while.
I was sitting on top, so of course, I wanted to verify I took care of that.
BATES: I mean, this is, like, the worst person to ask to lie in bed.
CAAN: I think that was really clever of Rob.
BATES: Yeah, “Let’s do that scene in the bed.”…
Remember how excited you were when we got to go to the dining room?…
We had a great time.
CAAN: It’s hard.
You know, it’s just two of us, pretty much, for 15 weeks.
BATES: And the pig.
CAAN: And the pig.
BATES: The pig fell down the steps.
Pigs are f—ing smart, man… She loved doughnuts.
There’s nothing quite like doughnuts in a pig’s breath.
BATES: The fight.
CAAN: Oh, the fight.
Yeah, but I mean in the book, you cut [one of my legs] off.
You put the sheriff in the Lawn-Boy.
He wanted it to be serious, psychological… What is that?"
CAAN: You dirty bird.
BATES: But that’s Stephen.
I was telling Jimmy, I did, like, a tiny, tiny part onThe Stand.
He just recently received the National Medal of Arts.
BATES: That is so great.
I’m just readingMr.
You didDolores Claiborne, too, afterMisery.
Oh, and tell him the story about when Stephen saw the movie.
CAAN: We had the screening in Westwood, and he was sitting in the back with Rob.
He really never came to any of his movies.
He didn’t like his movies.
She’s got a gun!"
And it was Stephen.
That’s a perfect endorsement.
And they really fired that sucker, because it had to throw me, you know.
This movie is appropriately titled.
You got hurt, you got hurt, the pig got hurt.
CAAN: All of God’s children got hurt.
When we got through with that, I just went off stage and burst into tears.
It was just awful.
She got all upset when it got violent.
BATES: F—you.
Did you take any souvenirs from the set?
BATES: He’s got the typewriter.
CAAN: I have the typewriter.
BATES: I think I have the sledgehammer.
CAAN: You want to trade?
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