Chris Columbus, the director behind the Christmas classics, looks back on past projects Home alone And Gremlinsshared a not-so-happy vacation memory with comedian Chevy Chase.

In conversation with Vanity Fair In a recent interview, Columbus said John Hughes sent him the script for “1989.” Christmas holidaysstarring Chase. Columbus said he signed on to the film before he met the actor and didn’t really get to know Chase until he began filming the second unit.

“I’ve probably never told this story before,” the director told the publication before detailing his first of two encounters with Chase. “I sat down with him. There were only two of us. 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,” Columbus said. After forty minutes, he said Chase stopped him and asked him, “Wait a second. You’re the director?”

Columbus said his answer was “the most surreal and bizarre thing,” and Chase also noted, “Oh, I thought you were a drummer.”

Their second meeting was apparently equally unproductive. Columbus said he had dinner with Chase and Hughes, but “I was basically nonexistent.” He explained, “It was Chevy and Hughes, and they talked about everything but Christmas holidays. We spent two hours together, and as I left dinner I thought, “There’s no way I can do a movie with this guy.” First of all, he’s not engaged. He treats me like shit. I don’t need that. I’d rather not work again. I prefer to write.”

Columbus then called Hughes and told him he “can’t make a good movie with this guy and I’m going to let you down.” According to the director, Hughes simply replied, “I understand. Complete understanding.”

A representative for Chase did not immediately respond Rolling Stone for comment.

Just a week later the script for Home alone would land on his lap, to which Columbus said, “For me it was even more personal, a better script.” Written by Hughes, the 1990 comedy starring Macaulay Culkin as the mischievous Kevin McCallister became a blockbuster hit and a beloved Christmas classic, spawning several sequels led.

When asked about Donald Trump’s cameo Home Alone 2: Lost in New Yorksaid Columbus Vanity Fair that “the only way to film at the Plaza Hotel was for Trump to make a cameo.”

Trump has claimed he never asked for a cameo and that the production team begged him to appear in the film. Although Columbus considered a response, he followed his wife’s advice and stayed “out of it.” The director added: “I won’t fight about it Home alone. There are much bigger battles to be fought.”

Columbus also served as producer Nosferatu, The critically acclaimed gothic horror film, written and directed by Robert Egger, is scheduled to hit theaters on Christmas Day.