The 1986 coming-of-age movie also starred Corey Feldman and the late River Phoenix
Jerry O’Connell is reacting to his”Stand By Me” co-star Wil Wheaton’s revelation that he was mistreated at a young age around the same time the 1986 movie came out.
Wheaton claimed he suffered a”mix of an incredible psychological abuse from my dad, and a lot of manipulation, with me, from my mom” within an interview with Yahoo Entertainment a week.
O’Connell, 47, who had been among Wheaton’s co-stars from the coming-of-age film, voiced sympathy for Wheaton, whom he called a”great friend,” while appearing Wednesday’s episode of”The Conversation .”
“That picture was 35 years ago. I had no idea he was feeling this when we were doing this movie,” the actor said.
Now, all these years later, O’Connell states Wheaton’s revelation acts as a lesson which no one understands what another person is really going through.
“I believe what should be mentioned is, you have no idea, not even co-workers, just people near you, you don’t have any clue what’s going on with somebody. Consequently, if you sense anything is amiss, anything bizarre, it costs you nothing to go up to them and say,’Hey is everything OK? Is anything happening? Do you want someone to speak to?'” “I just think even stating that I think reaches a hand out to someone.”
He moved on to compliment Wheaton’s career as of late, imagining he’s”doing good” and”does a great deal for Paramount+ and’Star Trek.'”
In his interview last week, Wheaton said he hasn’t kept in contact Feldman. Phoenix died of a drug overdose in 1993 at age 23.
“Stand By Me” was led by Rob Reiner. When Wheaton talked of the movie’s success 35 years after its premiere, he confessed that each of the four prospects were very much like their characters in real life, such as him in his function as Gordie Lachance.
“One of the reasons I think’Stand by Me’ is so enduring is that Rob throw four young boys that were our characters,” Wheaton informed us. “Corey was such a pain in the ass and that I mentioned to Rob,’Why did you throw him?’ And Rob said,’There was no other actor who was as angry as Corey was. And Teddy is full of anger and rage.’ River is smarter than most of us wiser beyond his years than some of us are. And that is exactly who Chris is. And Jerry is incredibly funny, and really easy to get together, and is guileless. ‘Oh my God, that’s Vern.’
“I guess I want to be a writer so that makes me Gordie. I never realized until I was in my 40s that I had been Gordie because I was Gordie,” he added.