Before he became an Emmy-winning actor, comedian and one of Saturday Night Live’s most beloved cast members, Bill Hader had a very different job. He was selling tickets at a movie theatre.
It seemed like a simple gig until one unforgettable act of revenge cost him his job. Years later, Hader shared how a group of rude customers, one famous spoiler, and the movie ‘Titanic’ combined to get him fired.
Bill Hader Got Bullied By A Bunch Of Sorority Girls
Appearing on Netflix’s ‘Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney’ during an episode fittingly titled ‘Getting Fired’, Bill Hader was asked whether he had ever been fired from a job. While he admitted he had been fired more than once, one particular incident stood out above the rest.
Related: Why Did Bill Hader Reject Doing ‘SNL’ Movie Based On Stefon?
“I got fired from a movie theatre for ruining the end of ‘Titanic,’” Hader recalled. At the time, he was working at a movie theatre when James Cameron’s blockbuster was released. “I was working in a movie theatre, and ‘Titanic’ hadn’t come out yet, and a sorority had bought out the movie theatre”, he said.
What seemed like an ordinary day at work quickly took a turn when Hader found himself on the receiving end of the group’s relentless insults. Trying to get them to move away from the doorway and head inside the theatre soon became a frustrating ordeal.
“They were making fun of me. They said I looked like Charles Manson. Which I kinda did. I had a little bowtie on and cummerbund, and I was like, ‘Hey guys, please move.’ And they were like, ‘No’,” he explained.
Hader decided to get even and hatched an unforgettable revenge plot. As the women handed over their tickets, he casually revealed the biggest twists waiting for them inside the theatre.
“So when they went in, as I tore the tickets, I was like, ‘Enjoy the movie. The boat sinks at the end. Leo dies,’” he continued. “And they were like, ‘No, he doesn’t.’ I go, ‘Yeah, you think he’s asleep. But he’s frozen.’ And that showed them.”
Hader Had To Pay The Price For His Revenge
While Hader undoubtedly got the last word, his victory was short-lived. Spoiling one of the most anticipated movies for such a large group of customers definitely wasn’t something his employer could overlook.
In Case You Missed It: Why Did Bill Hader Stop Signing Autographs For Fans?
Hader remembered that his manager actually found the situation hilarious, though company policy left him with little choice.
“The [manager] came down smiling, and he was like, ‘Hey, Bill. I have to fire you.’ He loved it. Couldn’t look me in the eye, though.” Looking back, it makes for one of the funniest Hollywood origin stories imaginable.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Jack, freezing to death remains the subject of endless debates over whether there was enough room on the floating door for both Jack and Rose to survive. But the fact that this iconic scene once got Bill Hader fired might be the funniest ‘Titanic’ story ever.
You Might Also Like To Read: Leonardo DiCaprio Had A Surprisingly Honest Take On Fame Before ‘Titanic’
