Kiefer Sutherland Shares River Phoenix Stand by Me Story That May Have Inspired Film’s Title

Kiefer Sutherland shares a behind-the-scenes moment that may have inspired the cult film’s title Stand by me.

During the performance at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday, Rabbit hole star, 57, has revealed that the guitar he had with the late Rivera Phoenix, with whom he starred in the 1986 coming-of-age film, may be behind the cult classic film’s title.

“We were making be with me which was Stephen King’s short story called Bodyand River Phoenix was learning guitar and playing guitar and he was actually really, really good,” Sutherland told host Jimmy Fallon.

“…And I played “Stand by Me” and sang that song, and he said, ‘Oh, I like the melody of that song,’ and he’d never heard it before,” he continued. “So I taught him and Rob Reiner that [the film’s director] walked by and said, ‘Oh, I haven’t heard that song in a long time, I love it.’ And then that was the end of that discussion.”

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“And then Rob Reiner ended up using that song for the movie and changed the title to Stand by meSutherland added.

“Do you think he’s changed…?” Fallon, 49, began to ask.

“I have no idea,” Sutherland admitted, adding, “I just know it was part of that conversation.”

Sutherland played bully Ace Merrill in the famous film, in which he starred alongside Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell and Will Wheaton, who were then teenagers. Phoenix died at the age of 23, seven years after the film’s release in 1993.

Sutherland previously spoke about seeing Phoenix’s star quality while working with the late actor on the iconic film.

Sutherland recalled his experience working with Phoenix on the 1986 film.

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Jerry O’Connell’s emotional memories of how Stand by Me changed his life

Speaking to The Guardian in 2021, he said: “I worked very little with the main cast, but if I arrived early they would do scenes and try each other out. River in particular had such an appetite to learn and be good – and, of course, he was.”

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“He was a year older than the other boys and I think that made a pretty significant difference,” Sutherland continued. “While the others were doing age-appropriate things, River would ask questions like, ‘Would you mind running in line with me?’ He saw me playing the guitar and asked, ‘What’s that song? Would you teach me?’ ”

“His desire to go to the next level was so obvious, you knew he was going to do something special,” Sutherland recalled of the later actor.

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Source: HIS Education