Leslie Mann, who has a new comedy movie out on Netflix called The Bubble, has been reminiscing about appearing in the ’90s classic George of the Jungle while appearing on the best interview show in town – Hot Ones. The Brendan Fraser comedy involved a scene where Mann had to face down a lion, and upon reflection, she feels like it was an unsafe situation.
The Bubble is a family affair, with Mann’s husband, Judd Apatow, writing and directing, and their daughter Iris Apatow also acting alongside Mann. Mann and Apatow’s other daughter Maude is currently best known for revealing everyone’s secrets via interpretative dance in the most shocking episode of Euphoria season 2.
On Hot Ones, Mann explained that she wants her actor daughters to learn from her experiences on George of the Jungle. The interviewer Sean Evans, who always does his homework, asked Mann, “what were the mechanics of shooting that lion rescue scene with Bongo and Caesar?” Mann laughs at the fact that he knows the lions’ names.
Mann says; “They put me with – I don’t know which one it was, Bongo or Caesar – I was in a little tiny space. I think about this a lot, when you hear about animals attacking. I don’t know why he didn’t attack me, there’s really nothing you can do when they’re that close. If he jumps at me, I’m dead. And I went along with it.”
She continues; ” So, I always tell my daughters, do not listen to anyone telling you…if you feel instinctually that something isn’t safe, trust your instincts, walk away and ask someone smart or call me. Don’t just listen to the movie people telling you it’s safe, don’t just go along with it because you don’t want to cause a problem. I shouldn’t have done that (scene in George of the Jungle).”
While it sounds like Mann had the wrong kind of adventure on the set of George of the Jungle, check out our guide to the best adventure movies.