#34: A poorly chosen compliment briefly strained Crowe’s relationship with Phoebe Cates
Cameron Crowe once recalled Phoebe Cates checking in with him about how her famous pool scene had turned out. Wanting to pass along praise he’d heard, he told her that people were saying she was great “for a model.” The wording landed badly, and Cates’ face fell immediately.
Crowe realized too late that the comment implied she wasn’t being taken seriously as an actor. She avoided speaking to him for a while afterward, and he later apologized for the phrasing. He clarified that what he truly meant was much simpler: she was great as an actor, full stop.