Chris Farley was beloved by many during his successful tenure on Saturday Night Live, and once he branched out into films he garnered a cult following that would stay loyal to him until the day he died and far after. Now, a new documentary gives us a glimpse at the man behind the lovable goofball via interviews with his close friends and co-stars, one of whom says he thinks of Chris every day.
David Spade was particularly close with Farley, making hits Tommy Boy and Black Sheep with his SNL chum, and he says that even now, nearly 20 years after Farley’s death, he still thinks of him in some way every day.
“It comes up in something in my mind every day. And I think it will forever,” Spade said.
For many, I Am Chris Farley will serve up a dose of painful memories along with the good ones; Chris was just 33 when he died of an overdose, and the core group of his co-workers–including Adam Sandler, Phil Hartman, and Kevin Nealon–would never be the same. For those who knew him well, one of the funniest men on television was also one of the most tortured.
“He was this boy that wanted to do good, but then there was this other side of him. So his whole life was this constant battle,” Tom Arnold says in a clip from the film.
Many of Farley’s friends, family members, and former co-stars make an appearance in the film to talk about how brilliant he was, with some getting emotional as they remembered a particular sketch or moment from their time together. Actress Christina Applegate recalled how kind he was, calling him a “puppy dog”, while others lamented the high cost of fame that Chris Farley had to realize.
I Am Chris Farley premieres on SPIKE on August 10 and will be available on VOD and DVD the next day.