The pool party scene in Coach Carter wasn’t just acting-the cast was actually drunk while filming, according to multiple stars who say Samuel L. Jackson was furious when he arrived.
At a Glance
- Antwon Tanner mixed “coochie juice” and passed it to extras, getting everyone drunk
- Samuel L. Jackson walked into chaos and was “mad as hell”
- Robert Ri’chard and Channing Tatum jumped in the forbidden pool naked
- Why it matters: The behind-the-scenes rebellion created one of the film’s most memorable moments
The 2005 sports drama Coach Carter features a holiday-tournament victory party where the Richmond Oilers splash around a mansion pool. In interviews on Taboo’s Comics and Kicks and Byron Scott’s FastBreak, actors revealed the festivities were fueled by real alcohol and rule-breaking.
Real Booze on Set
Antwon Tanner, 50, said he brought a personal cocktail he calls “the coochie juice”-Hennessy, Hpnotiq, and other liquor-to the set.
- He filled small cups and handed them to female extras
- Cast and background players quickly got intoxicated
- Shooting stalled because “we wasn’t getting nothing done”
“Hilarious. Man, that was so much fun,” Tanner recalled. “A lot of that scene wasn’t supposed to happen the way it did, but we was all drunk.”
Jackson’s Fury
When Samuel L. Jackson, who portrays coach Ken Carter, arrived, he expected professionalism. Tanner called the Oscar nominee a perfectionist.
“Sam, when he came to set, s— gotta go right now, like it’s supposed to go. But we all faded,” Tanner laughed, imitating their glazed expressions. “He was like, ‘What the hell is going on.’ He was mad as hell.”
The actors-Tanner, Rick Gonzalez, Rob Brown, and Robert Ri’chard-admitted they were the “mischievous kids” causing the disruption.
Pool Prohibition Ignored
Producers had a clear directive: do not enter the pool because they lacked a permit.
Ri’chard remembered the setup:
- Mansion location with a yacht parked inside the garage
- Cast told to stay dry
- Channing Tatum and Ri’chard stripped on camera and dove in anyway
- They persuaded girls on set to join
- Crew members “were pissed” and tattled once Jackson appeared
Aftermath on the Bus
Tanner said the revelry continued into the next scene-the team bus ride-where his blood-shot eyes and slumped posture weren’t acting.
“I was faded. I was done on the bus. I actually had fell asleep and woke up in one of the scenes. My eyes were hella red and I was drunk as hell that night.”
Never Watched the Final Cut
Despite the wild shoot, Robert Ri’chard, 43, told News Of Los Angeles he has never seen the finished film-or any of his early projects.
“I’ve never seen Coach Carter, not Cousin Skeeter, not One on One,” he said at the 16th Annual African-American Film Critics Awards in Los Angeles. “I’m just in it for the love… I love the fact that people enjoy my work.”
Ri’chard added producers remain irritated years later: “They’re still mad at all of us, to this day, for that scene, because we didn’t fake any of that s—.”
Key Takeaways
- Authentic party energy on set translated to a memorable movie moment
- Jackson’s professionalism clashed with the young cast’s impromptu celebration
- Rules against swimming and drinking were broken, creating lasting production lore
- The scene endures as a fan favorite, even if some participants haven’t watched the result
