Home Alone director Chris Columbus said in an interview with Vanity Fair that it was Chevy Chase who ultimately opened the door for him to direct the 1990 Christmas comedy classic. That’s because Columbus originally worked with screenwriter John Hughes on 1989’s Christmas Vacation, starring Chase. Columbus was hired to direct the comedy and was in the middle of filming the second unit when he first met Chase.

“I was registered… and Then I met Chevy Chase. Even given my situation at the time, where I really needed to make a film, I realized I couldn’t work with the guy,” Columbus said. “I was one of many who couldn’t work with him. And I called John and said, “This is really hard for me, but I can’t do this movie with Chevy Chase.” We were in the middle of shooting the second unit. We have not started shooting the film or building the sets. But it was December, so I had to go to downtown Chicago and photograph all the department stores and stuff. I had two meetings with Chevy.”

“The first time I met him, I sat down with him. “There were only two of us,” Columbus continued. “He had to know I was directing the film. I talked about how I saw the film and how I wanted to make it. He didn’t say anything. I talked for about half an hour. He didn’t say a word. And then he pauses and says – and this doesn’t make any sense to anyone on the planet, but I’m telling you. I’ve probably never told this story before. Forty minutes into the meeting he says, ‘Wait a minute.’ You’re the director?’ And I said, “Yeah… I’m directing the movie.” And he said something unreal and bizarre to me. I still couldn’t make sense of it. He said, ‘Oh, I thought you were a drummer.’ I said, ‘Uhh, okay.’ Let’s start talking about the movie again.’ After about 30 seconds he said, ‘I have to go.'”

Columbus was taken aback by Chase’s comment. Eventually he met the comedian again for dinner, this time with Hughes present. At the table, the director said, “I was basically non-existent,” while Chevy and Hughes talked about everything other than “Christmas Vacation.”

“We spent two hours together, and when I left dinner I thought, ‘There’s no way I can make a movie with this guy,'” Columbus told Vanity Fair. “First of all, he’s not engaged. He treats me like shit. I don’t need that. I’d rather not work again. I’d rather write… Who says something like that to anyone? It makes no sense. So there’s almost no point in telling this story, but it actually happened. I thought: This is how we’re going to work together? I’ll be on set and he won’t listen.”

Columbus called Hughes to inform him that he could not work with Chase, which Hughes understood. The director added: “I gave up on Christmas Vacation.” The next weekend I got another script from John – Home Alone. “Home Alone” was even more personal for me, a better script. And I thought I could really do something with this and not have to deal with Chevy Chase.”

diversity has reached out to Chase representatives for comment.

After Columbus abandoned “Christmas Vacation,” director Jeremiah S. Chechik was hired to replace him. The film was released in 1989 and was the third installment in National Lampoon’s Vacation film series. Chase headlined all three films alongside Beverly D’Angelo.