The other night, I rewatched The Rocky Horror Picture Show — and the moment Tim Curry steps off that elevator? Instant takeover. From his first strut to the final note, he owns every frame. And Susan Sarandon? Pure gold.
Whether it’s your first time or a Halloween ritual, this cult classic is a wild ride through sci-fi, sex, and rock ‘n’ roll.
Here are the weirdest, funniest, and most mind-blowing facts you (probably) never knew about The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Why Tim Curry got the role
Talking about The Rocky Horror Picture Show without mentioning Tim Curry? Impossible! This was actually Tim Curry’s theatrical movie debut and he absolutely owned the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite alien scientist who steals the spotlight from the very first scene.
The reason curry took the film role was that he had already played the same character in the 1973 stage production written by Richard O’Brien.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show racked up an incredible 2,960 performances in London, with Tim Curry’s electrifying performance becoming the heartbeat of the entire production — so when it came time to cast the film version, bringing him along was a no-brainer.
A muscleman who could sing
How Curry landed the role in the first place is actually a pretty funny story — and it says a lot about the confidence he had as a young, up-and-coming actor.
”I’d heard about the play because I lived on Paddington Street, off Baker Street, and there was an old gym a few doors away. I saw Richard O’Brien in the street, and he said he’d just been to the gym to see if he could find a muscleman who could sing. I said, “Why do you need him to sing?” [laughs] And he told me that his musical was going to be done, and I should talk to Jim Sharman. He gave me the script, and I thought, “Boy, if this works, it’s going to be a smash,” Curry said.
Curry gained weight after the movie – to hide
The Rocky Horror Picture Show turned Curry into a household name and earned him a devoted cult following. However, for many years, Curry was hesitant to discuss the movie due to some difficult experiences with overly enthusiastic fans.
He told VH1 that he even gained weight and to look “chubby and plain”. That was an attempt to distance himself from the role of Frank.
Nowadays, he’s more comfortable talking about the film and even considers it a “rite of passage” for teenagers.
In 2015, Curry said that he movie is ”a guaranteed weekend party to which you can go with or without a date and probably find one if you don’t have one, and it’s also a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, you know? Figure out, help them maybe figure out their own sexuality.”
No picnic
Filming The Rocky Horror Picture Show was no walk in the park for anyone involved. Unlike the wild after-hours vibe of the stage show, the movie set was all business. With just five weeks to shoot, the cast and crew had to be at the studio bright and early each day — especially Tim Curry, whose elaborate makeup took four hours to apply. Eventually, Curry learned to do it himself just to save time.
How Meat Loaf nailed a song
One fun moment that always gets me when rewatching The Rocky Horror Picture Show is spotting none other than Meat Loaf as Eddie. There are a bunch of great behind-the-scenes stories involving him, but one of my absolute favorites?
Richard O’Brien was worried Meat Loaf might struggle with the fast-paced song “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul.” So, he handed him the sheet music and said, “It’s okay to flub a few lines. No one in the London cast has ever sung the whole thing correctly anyway.” Meat Loaf looked it over and casually replied, “What’s the problem?” — then nailed the entire song perfectly on the first try.
Dramatic entrance wasn’t planned
One of the film’s most memorable moments is when Dr. Everett V. Scott bursts onto the scene by crashing straight through a wall. Surprisingly, that dramatic entrance wasn’t originally planned — it happened because the set crew forgot to include an extra door in the lab.
The royal confession shocked Curry
Fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show span the globe — but one of the most unexpected and famous admirers was none other than Princess Diana. While Tim Curry was performing in Austria, he got word that the Princess wanted to meet him. When they were finally introduced, Diana flashed what Curry described as a “wicked smile” and told him that Rocky Horror had “quite completed my education.”
Curry shared the story during an interview on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, recalling how he met both King Charles III and Princess Diana after a performance of Love for Love. He remembered being placed at the end of the receiving line. While Prince Charles gave a polite but vague acknowledgment—saying he’d seen Curry “on television” — Diana’s reaction was unforgettable. Her candid comment about the cult film’s effect on her only reinforced how deeply the movie had resonated—even with royalty.
When method acting got a little too real
Not sure if you’ve noticed this, especially if you’re a true Rocky Horror fan—but during the iconic dinner scene, Barry Bostwick really got into it and slammed his fist on the table — right on Susan Sarandon’shand, by accident. Her reaction?
Totally real pain. But she got her (accidental) revenge later in the Floor Show when she stepped on his foot with her spike heel. His grimace caught on camera? Also 100% genuine. Talk about accidental payback — with a dash of glam…
Susan Sarandon’s grit
The film was shot during the fall and winter of 1974 in the United Kingdom, primarily at Bray Studios and on location at an old country estate called Oakley Court.
Apparently, the set was freezing cold and had no bathrooms. Barry Bostwick, who played Brad Majors, says he was pretty much wet the whole time because the castle was leaking. The cast had one “warm room” with space heaters to warm up, but guess what? That room actually caught on fire.
When Susan Sarandon then voiced her concerns, studio executives brushed them off. After filming the pool scene in her skimpy outfit, she developed pneumonia. Richard O’Brien recalled she was ”shaking with fever” and ”should have been under medical supervision,” but she refused to stop working, and her battered body and health were things no moviegoer ever noticed.
Speaking of Barry Bostwick, he and Susan Sarandon were actually dating while filming. Richard O’Brien casually revealed this tidbit back in 2013.
The scene that almost went nude
Playing Janet Weiss, the film’s sexy lead, Sarandon was already in various states of undress throughout the film. One of Janet’s most memorable moments is her sexual awakening during the song ‘Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me,’ performed opposite Peter Hinwood’s Rocky, who was a model at the time.
”‘Peter, of course was just the shyest, quietest. I think that was traumatizing to him to have to do that scene with me,’” Sarandon recalls.
The filmmakers wanted Susan Sarandon to go fully nude for the scene, but she refused — despite having appeared nude in other movies before.
Still, they had hoped she’d actually strip completely for that iconic song alongside Peter Hinwood’s Rocky Horror. Sarandon stood her ground and didn’t fully disrobe.
Her daring performance, however, caught Playboy’s attention, and they kept trying to get her to do a nude pictorial for years afterward. In a 1991 interview, she said, “They have been after me since The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Susan Sarandon don’t want talk about the movie
Susan Sarandon has revealed she never planned to audition for the role of Janet. She just dropped by the set to visit her friend Tim Curry.
While there, the producers noticed her and asked if she’d give it a shot. They’d heard good singers but hadn’t found anyone who could bring the humor Janet needed. Sarandon initially declined, saying she’s not much of a singer and even feels a bit scared to sing.
When they asked if she could at least sing “Happy Birthday,” she agreed — and that was enough to convince them. They loved her performance and cast her, but Sarandon admits it was a lucky accident. She’s also expressed frustration over the fact that none of the cast received royalties from the DVD sales, which makes her reluctant to talk about the movie sometimes.
Rain or not?
During the “Over at the Frankenstein Place” scene, when Janet uses a newspaper to shield her head from the rain, the prop was specially coated with plastic to survive multiple takes of getting soaked.
However, the plastic didn’t cover the entire paper — one corner, where Susan Sarandon held it, was left uncoated to keep the look natural. While water visibly drips from most of the newspaper, the corner in her hand stays dry, making it clear that part of the prop wasn’t actually getting wet.
Also, Janet’s cardigan starts out blue during “Over at the Frankenstein Place,” but when she meets Riff Raff, it magically turns white.
And there’s another fun wardrobe detail to watch for with Janet next time you watch the movie. Her shoes start out black at the beginning, but by the time she and Brad reach the lab, they’ve mysteriously switched to white.
Unexpected wheelchair twist
At the movie’s climax, as Magenta and Riff Raff prepare to transport the castle away, Brad and Janet carry Dr. Scott from the scene. After the castle explodes and lifts off, the three are shown lying scattered across the grounds.
Interestingly, Dr. Scott is now resting on the broken remains of a wheelchair — even though he hadn’t used one just moments earlier.
Mistaken for impostor
When Tim Curry was living in New York, he noticed fans dressing up for midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Curious, he called the theater to ask if he could join one of the showings. While the fans were excited to see him, the theater staff didn’t believe it was actually Tim Curry and labeled him an “impostor,” even throwing him out.
After Curry proved his identity, the staff apologized—but by then, he chose not to return. Just imagine how embarrassed those employees must have felt for misjudging the star…
Alright, what are your favorite memories from this classic film? Are there any bloopers or behind-the-scenes stories you think I missed that should definitely be on the list? Feel free to share your thoughts down in the comments!