Jerry O’Connell is a man of many faces. Some know him best for his work as a child star in the beloved “Stand By Me,” others for the ’90s staple “Sliders” or appearances in movies like “Jerry Maguire” and “Scream 2” or his many hosting gigs in recent years.
But when it comes to the project his two teenage daughters with wife Rebecca Romijn respect him for most, it’s a music video from 1999: Mariah Carey’s “Heartbreaker.”
While revisiting a few of his famous roles with TooFab for a recent interview, O’Connell explained why he recently tweeted that playing Carey’s cheating boyfriend in the visual was the “BEST PART I HAVE EVER PLAYED.”
“Just the fact that I think it’s one of her best songs. Just Mariah Carey. You know, there’s just a few in that rarefied air in, I don’t even want to say music, because someone like Mariah transcends just music,” he told TooFab. “Mariah is … Mariah, and I got to be her co-star. I love it.”
He added that when anyone asks his kids what their father has been in, their go-to answer is Carey’s video. “And by the way, Mariah does know who I am,” O’Connell then added.
“I was with a good friend of hers, co-worker Kristofer Buckle, who was her makeup artist, and he took a photo of us, and texted it to her,” he continued. “And I know Mariah is famous for saying. ‘I don’t know who he is,’ but he texted her and said, ‘Look who I’m with’ and Mariah wrote back, ‘Love him, tell him hi.’ So Mariah Carey does know who I am, everybody. That’s where I am at in my career!”
While Carey is certainly known for her impressive vocals, O’Connell explained that another of his most popular performances has led to a lot of criticism of his own singing voice … or lack thereof.
In 1997’s “Scream 2,” Jerry’s character Derek tries to woo Sidney (Neve Campbell) by bursting into “I Think I Love You” in the middle of their college cafeteria. Though he may not hit all the right notes, he is successful in winning Sid’s affections.
Telling TooFab he didn’t have to sing for his audition, he added that there was actually a different song in the script, which he memorized before it was replaced with The Partridge Family classic.
“I’ll tell you what’s a little crazy, sometimes I go on social media and people will be like, ‘Oh man, watching Scream 2. This scene where Jerry O’Connell sings in that lunch room is so cringey.’ And I can’t believe … it really hurts my feelings, man,” he said.
“Like I worked so hard on that scene. People will also ask me, ‘Did you purposely sing bad in that scene?’ And I’m like, ‘What? No! I was singing to the best of my ability.’ It’s so funny,” he continued. “And just to set the record straight, I did try my best to sing that song, and I was not purposely singing bad. I’m not a professional singer, and I’m sorry if you find that scene cringey. I didn’t write it. Blame Kevin Williamson!”
It wouldn’t be a conversation about Jerry’s most memorable roles without quickly revisiting “Stand By Me” as well. Adapted from Stephen King’s short story “The Body,” the movie revolves around a group of young boys who go on the hunt for a dead body.
O’Connell recently reunited with costar Corey Feldman on “The Talk,” where the two not only performed the titular song from the film (above), but Feldman gifted Jerry with a copy of his prosthetic ear.
“Yeah, that went right up on the mantel. I couldn’t believe it,” he revealed. “It’s so funny, I was staring at it the other day, and I mean it is a little scary because it’s like an ear on your mantel, and you sort of have to explain to people what it is, but it was really sweet.”
He also said that because they worked together at such a young age, the surviving cast members have a bond “like family.” Added Jerry: “Wil Wheaton had recently turned 50, which if that doesn’t make you feel old, I don’t know what will!”
O’Connell can currently be seen hosting both “Pictionary” and “The Talk.”
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