Josh Duhamel was 'terrified' of Michael Bay

22 June 2017

Josh Duhamel used to be "terrified" of 'Transformers: The Last Knight' director Michael Bay.

Josh Duhamel

The 44-year-old actor returns to the giant robot franchise as Colonel William Lennox in the fifth film in blockbuster series after making his last appearance as the character in 2011's 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon', the third installment.

Duhamel admits he was apprehensive about working with director Bay when he was cast in the first movie in 2007 because he'd heard that the filmmaker was tough on set, but his fears soon dissipated once the cameras started rolling.

In an interview with Collider, Duhamel said: "I used to be terrified about him because I'd heard these stories, like, 'You don't wanna cross him, you know, he will tear you apart.' But the truth is he's more bark than he is bite! He does get heated, he does get passionate, if you will, but it really is about getting the best shot and people are on point. People really come with their A-Game every single day."

He recalled a time on 'The Last Knight' when he witnessed someone get 'Bayed' - a term used to sum up a confrontation with the director - and likened his outbursts to that of a "big kid"

Duhamel said: "One of Mark's [Whalberg] guys, they call him cowboy, he was helping mark with something between shots and Michael went up to him and he was talking or something and Michael didn't want him to talk and just got in his face and cowboy just took it and he just looked like he got the principal's office on steroids and Michael leaves and Cowboy looks around like, 'I just got Bayed' - he was all excited about it. You can't really take it personally, it is what it is. He's like a big kid."

'Transformers: The Last Knight' expands the mythology of the Transformers universe by introducing a medieval-set backstory, which involves King Arthur of England and wizard Merlin.

Whalberg reprises his lead role as Cade Yeager from 'Transformers: Age of Extinction', while the rest of the cast includes Sir Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock, Stanley Tucci, Jerrod Carmichael,John Turturro, Isabela Moner, Gil Birmingham and Jean Dujardin.