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Woody Harrelson became a popular face among the audience with his role as Woody Boyd in the 1982 sitcom series,Cheers. By 1999, when he returned for a guest role in the spin-off seriesFrasier, he had already become a Hollywood superstar. TheTrue Detectiveactor owed it toCheers, not just for launching his career, but also for saving his life from a bunch of Croatian gangsters.
Harrelson got playful with the wrong girls when he visited Croatia and became a target of their disgruntled boyfriends. Fortunately, one of these gangsters had watchedCheersand recognized theNow You See Meactor. They ended up becoming friends and having drinks together.
Also Read:“I was sleepless, man”: Woody Harrelson Felt Haunted By Cillian Murphy’s Apocalyptic Film That First Made Christopher Nolan Notice the Actor
CheersSaved Woody Harrelson’s Life
Woody Harrelsonplayed the dumb-witted bartender, Woody Boyd, inCheersand made his first appearance in Season 4. Woody Boyd later became one of the main characters throughout the show’s eleven-season run. Harrelson’s work onCheersopened doors to acclaimed roles in movies likeNatural Born KillersandThe People vs. Larry Flynt.
During an interview with Playboy Magazine,The Hunger Gamesactor revealed that his television role literally saved his life. When he visited Dubrovnik in Croatia,The Edge of Seventeenactor got a little frisky with some“red-hot”girls, unaware that their boyfriends had ties to some Croatian gang. When they saw him with their girlfriends, they were pretty angry and things got tense between them.
However, one of the gang members recognized him from his role in the American TV series. The gang members were excited to meet a real actor and they went out for drinks together. Harrelson recounted the incident to Playboy Magazine (via contactmusic.com):
“These guys were coming down from the hillside. They were the toughest-looking motherfkers you ever saw – some kind of Croatian judo gang or something – and they were coming down basically to kill me for being with these red-hot girls. They were ready to tear me apart, and it got mind-blowingly tense. But then one of these fking guys recognizes me from American TV, so we end up going out for drinks with them. I swear if I had not been on Cheers, I’d have died right there on that beach in Croatia.”
Cheers was one of the most popular TV shows in America at the time and this incident shows that the series was also popular in other parts of the world. The series finale was watched by nearly 93 million viewers, which was 40% of the U.S. population at that time.
Also Read:“Slow down Jen, this isn’t Jamaica”: Woody Harrelson Had To Force Jennifer Lawrence To Stop Smoking Weed While Filming Hunger Games
Woody Harrelson Thought His Career Was Over AfterCheers
WhileCheerswas the breakout role for Woody Harrelson, he struggled to find another job during his time on the series. Harrelson feared that his career might come to an end following his tenure on the show. However, after nearly six years on the show, Harrelson landed roles in the movies,Doc HollywoodandWhite Men Can’t Jump. He also starred in the erotic drama,Indecent Proposal, during this time.
One of his most acclaimed roles came right after the conclusion ofCheers. He starred as a serial killer, Mickey Knox, in the 1994 filmNatural Born Killers. During an interview with Garth Franklin, theNo Country for Old Menactor talked about his challenging times duringCheers. Harrelson toldGarth Franklin:
“So I was fortunately able to segue, but for awhile I thought, ‘Jeez, this is it’. And I felt that I could do so much more. I really wanted to express myself a little more. Not to say that “Woody Boyd” was not a great role!”
Also Read:“Are you really going to watch this garbage?”: Woody Harrelson Was Disgusted With Jennifer Lawrence’s Obsession During ‘The Hunger Games’
The sitcom that saved Woody Harrelson’s life,Cheers, is now available for streaming on Paramount+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
