The Late great R. Lee Ermy and Mathew Modine on set in Full Metal Jacket.
Genuine reactions
To keep the reactions to the drill instructor as authentic as possible, R. Lee Ermey and the rest of the cast were not allowed to rehearse together. As Gunnery Sergeant Hartman delivers his hilarious speeches and insults, the reactions caught on camera were the legitimate reactions of the cast.
Gunnery Sgt. Ermy was in the United States Marine Corps for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and later was bestowed the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps, after he served 14 months in Vietnam and later did two tours in Okinawa, Japan. He went on to star in over 70 movies and TV shows but his most famous role will be Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. He sadly passed away in 2018.
