Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey William Sadler Reveals How He Created Death in Bill & Ted

William Sadler on Death, The Shawshank Redemption, and the Roles Fans Still Love

William Sadler sits down with FlickDirect's Allison Rose at Popcorn Frights to revisit two of his most beloved films, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and The Shawshank Redemption. Sadler shares memories of playing baseball with Morgan Freeman during the long Shawshank shoot in Mansfield, Ohio, spending his downtime fishing, and watching new generations continue to discover the film more than three decades later.

Sadler also reveals how he transformed Death into the unforgettable character audiences know from Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. He explains why he felt Death was not particularly funny on the page, how a Czechoslovakian accent changed the character, and why casting initially thought he was too young and too good-looking for the role.

After turning to the makeup artist he had worked with on Die Hard 2 to age him for the audition, Sadler landed the part and eventually spent three hours in makeup before each day's filming. He also recalls the makeup being so convincing that some people at the cast party did not recognize him, and reflects on why both Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and The Shawshank Redemption continue to connect with audiences decades later.