When Michael Caine’s Co-Star Didn’t Recognise Him On Set
A teenage actress on Blame It On Rio was unaware of Michael Caine’s fame, leading to an awkward encounter that exposed Hollywood’s troubling attitudes towards age and exploitation in the 1980s.
By the time the 1980s rolled around, Michael Caine had already become a fixture of British and international cinema. With a career launched by roles in Zulu and Alfie, his distinctive glasses and unmistakable accent made him a household name. His move to Hollywood was swift, buoyed by an Oscar nod for Alfie, and he soon found himself working with the likes of Brian De Palma and Woody Allen, collecting awards and acclaim along the way.
Despite his status, not everyone on set was aware of his reputation. During the making of Blame It On Rio, Caine’s on-screen romantic interest, Michelle Johnson, was just 17 years old and entirely unfamiliar with his body of work. Hollywood’s persistent issues with age were on full display, as Johnson was cast in a role that required her to appear nude and in revealing swimwear, despite her being underage. Legal and parental consent was obtained, but the protection she received was questionable at best. The normalisation of such practices in the industry at the time is, in hindsight, deeply unsettling.
Unfamiliar Faces and Awkward Introductions
Johnson’s lack of experience extended beyond acting; she had never even heard of her co-star. Cast by director Stanley Donen after he spotted her in a magazine, she was thrust into a controversial role for her very first film. Reflecting on her introduction to Caine, Johnson admitted,
“I didn’t even know who Michael Caine was. This was so embarrassing. So I called a friend who’s older than me. She goes to films a lot. And she said, ‘Oh, that’s that Kung Fu guy.’ She was getting him mixed up with David Carradine.”
Realising her mistake, Johnson quickly set about educating herself, watching Alfie, The Man Who Would Be King, and Sleuth before her audition. The experience left her feeling rather nervous, especially after seeing the calibre of Caine’s previous work.
Controversy and Consequences
Despite her nerves, Johnson impressed at her audition and managed to hold her own opposite Caine, even though she had only just finished school and had no prior acting experience. The film itself, directed by Donen of Singin’ in the Rain fame, was far more contentious than his earlier work, centring on an affair between a middle-aged man and his friend’s teenage daughter. The casting of an actual teenager in such a role, and the circumstances surrounding her involvement, highlight the exploitative environment that was all too common in the industry at the time.
Johnson’s performance, and the film as a whole, attracted significant controversy. She was hypersexualised in her debut, a decision that would later see her nominated for ‘Worst New Star’ at the Golden Raspberry Awards. For both Caine and Donen, Blame It On Rio is widely regarded as a misstep, best left in the past.