Jeremy Saulnier credited Patrick Stewart with saving Green Room from a possible shutdown as he paid tribute to the actor at a Los Angeles screening on Friday. Speaking at an event marking the film’s 10th anniversary, the director recalled how Stewart joined the project when production was moving ahead without an actor cast as Darcy Banker.
Saulnier told the audience that sets were already being built and the production was under pressure to fill the role. With the film close to shutting down, Stewart unexpectedly expressed interest. About a week later, Saulnier was speaking with him by phone. The director remembered contemplating whether the sets would have to be dismantled before Stewart’s decision to accept the part allowed the project to proceed.
In a video shared by the Film Updates account on X, Saulnier said Stewart’s involvement brought an immediate green light for the movie. He described the actor’s arrival as an intervention from someone far beyond the production’s reach and thanked him for taking a chance on the film. “Patrick Stewart is why I still can make movies,” Saulnier said, crediting that commitment with making Green Room possible.
The filmmaker had arrived intending to promote Slayground, but said he wanted instead to celebrate Stewart following the actor’s death at 86. Alongside his account of the casting, the Rebel Ridge director remembered Stewart as a gentleman whose kindness shaped his leadership of the cast.
Saulnier also recalled a small request that illustrated Stewart’s connection to the material. During production, the actor approached him about adding something to a scene. His proposed change was simply to utter an expletive as the camera moved through a particular moment. Saulnier agreed, remembering the exchange as evidence that Stewart understood both the film’s aesthetic and its intentions, as well as his approach as a filmmaker.
Stewart died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home, according to an announcement from his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak. She said his death followed a brief journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. The actor’s death prompted tributes from former colleagues and other figures across Hollywood.
Those remembering the Star Trek and X-Men actor included Ian McKellen, Kevin Feige, William Shatner, Seth MacFarlane and Hugh Jackman. Minnie Driver, Rebecca Romijn, Halle Berry and James Marsden were also among those who paid tribute. Saulnier’s remarks added a personal account of Stewart’s influence, focusing on the decision that enabled his film to move forward and the generosity he brought to its production.
