Here's a few reasons why ALF was Max Wright's hardest work
Max Wright played Willie Tanner, the well-meaning but often flustered father in the sitcom ALF (1986). As the head of the Tanner household, he navigated the challenges of raising a family while dealing with the antics of ALF, the alien who crash-landed in their garage.
Despite the show's comedic premise, Wright's portrayal added depth to the family dynamic, showing a father's struggle between love for his family and the absurdity of their new extraterrestrial guest.
Wright understood ALF's impact on both kids and adults alike. In fact, he was one of those adults whose life was turned upside down by the furry little guy from Melmac.
While the Tanner family devoted much of their time to helping ALF feel at home, Wright probably spent just as much time wishing he could send him back with a one-way ticket!
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According to a 1988 interview with The Winnipeg Sun, Wright said he could hardly leave his house without ALF fans stopping him at every opportunity. He recounted a time when he took his son to an ice skating rink, only to be chased down by ALF's adoring fans.
"They actually began screaming and running across the ice, some even in the wrong direction," Wright said. "It wasn't a riot but... I got confused and ran in my stocking feet. It was like 136 ALFs."
The fanbase surrounding the alien wasn't the only difficult thing Wright had to deal with during his time on the hit series.
According to the interview, he was a lot like his character, Willie Tanner. He said he was rational, emotional, and tended to overact— just like Willie did— making fan interactions even harder to manage.
"Doing the ALF series was the most difficult work I've ever done in my life," Wright said. "It's technically extremely demanding. It’s shot over two days: 12 hours the first day and maybe 17 to 18 the second—30 hours to do 22 minutes of work."
"But it's worth it," Wright continued. "I like to go to work every day. I really don’t like the easier, softer way; I never have, even though I don’t keep up with my gym subscription."