Was Harry Connick Jr. in the Gene Wilder documentary? Explained

After premiering at several film festivals throughout 2023, the documentary, titled Remembering Gene Wilder, released on Netflix on June 13, 2024. The title gives fans insight into the life and career of the legendary American comedian and actor, Gene Wilder, who died on August 29, 2016. He breathed his last in Stamford, Connecticut at the age of 83 due to complications from Alzheimer's.

Wilder was well-known for his portrayal of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974) and Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). Remember Gene Wilder is directed by Rob Frankl, and features unseen footage and multiple interviews with famous personalities in the film industry including Mel Brooks, Carol Kane, Eric McCormack, Mike Medavoy, and many others. Harry Connick Jr. is also a part of the documentary.

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Was Harry Connick Jr. in the Gene Wilder documentary?

Harry Connick Jr. is one of the individuals who is part of the documentary. He and Wilder were friends and the title sheds light on the same. In the documentary, he is featured as himself and appears in interviews and archival footage. Speaking about Wilder's work in the film industry, Connick says:

"For him to treat those lyrics and that vocal performance and that acting performance with such care and specificity, it was almost like the way a wise person would speak to you on top of a mountaintop. It’s not always what you expect, but you leave feeling a lot more enlightened than you did when you got there."

Connick also took to X on August 30, 2016, after the actor's death, and called him a "good friend" as he expressed that he would miss him.

"so sad to learn of the passing of my good friend, gene wilder... such an incredible man... i'll miss you," he wrote.

Harry Connick Jr. is an American singer, actor, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana. The 56-year-old has starred in multiple titles including Hope Floats (1998), Copycat (1995), The Iron Giant (1999), and more.

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What is the documentary Remembering Gene Wilder all about?

The Wilder documentary sheds light on some of the actor's greatest accomplishments and his contributions to the entertainment industry. The title honors his legacy and sheds light on his remarkable yet ordinary life.

It gives viewers a peek into his life with a wide array of videos, including interviews with friends, narrations from his audiobook, and much more.

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Fans react to the relationship between Harry Connick Jr. and Wilder

Fans and viewers were amazed when they learned that the American singer was friends with the late actor. An X user tweeted about the same and said:

"How come nobody in the world knew Harry Connick Jr was Gene Wilder’s friend until the new Gene Wilder documentary on Netflix."

Users on Reddit, who recently watched the documentary were also curious about the friendship between the duo.

Comment byu/creptik1 from discussion inmovies

Other confused fans and internet users took to the comments section of the same discussion thread as they reacted to the duo's friendship.

"Just watched it with my wife. I asked her the same thing and she said maybe from Will & Grace?" commented a Reddit user.

"My hubby and I are watching 'Remembering....Wilder' right now and both of is are trying to think of something they worked on together. Love them both! I’m just so curious. Like wtf. Why Harry??? I’m just so confused at the moment." another Reddit user added.

"Maybe...Wilder was a fan of his music and reached out and that led to a friendship." another user said, guessing how Wilder and Connick Jr. became friends.

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Remembering Gene Wilder is now streaming on Netflix.