Anne Heche made a lasting impression on the set of one of her final films.
“Wildfire: The Legend of the Cherokee Ghost Horse” director Eric Parkinson reflected on the late actress’s bravery in playing a rodeo trainer in the upcoming flick. Parkinson said that during negotiations for the film, it was made clear by her agent that Heche was not an experienced horseback rider.
Parkinson hired a stunt double for her riding scenes but fondly described the moment the “Six Days Seven Nights” alum “politely asked” that the double get off the animal — so that she could do the riding scenes herself.
“She climbed on top, settled into the saddle and said, ‘Eric, let’s roll on this,'” Parkinson told The Post in an email.
“So, we rolled, and Anne and the horse took off in a full gallop, perfectly executed the barrel turns and raced to the finish in record time,” Parkinson recalled. “When the cameras stopped, I went up to Anne, somewhat in shock.
“I said, ‘Anne, your agent told us you weren’t an experienced rider!’ Anne responded: ‘I’m not … but my character is a champ,'” he stated.
“I guess none of us know when we’re going to face our last performance. So, I suppose that facing each challenge ‘like a champ’ is what I will remember most about Anne Heche,” Parkinson said of the actress, who was taken off life support on Sunday after being declared brain dead from a fiery car crash on Aug. 5. She was 53.
Anne Heche was taken off life support Sunday after being declared brain dead, a prognosis that made her legally dead under California law.AFP via Getty Images
The scene where actress Anne Heche crashed a car into a house on Aug. 5, as seen one week later on Aug. 14 in Los Angeles. Getty ImagesThe movie will be dedicated to Heche, Parkinson reportedly told TMZ, saying that he’s adding an “In Memoriam” as the movie’s final shot, right before the final credits.
The Post has contacted Parkinson for confirmation on the dedication.
However, Parkinson did confirm to The Post that the film will be released later this year, not in September as listed on IMDb.
Heche filmed several movie and TV projects before her death, including Lifetime’s “Girl in Room 13.”
