John Ashton Scored “Midnight Run” Role In The Most Unconventional Way

The late John Ashton, who passed away in 2024, was best known for his roles in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise and Midnight Run. John Hughes fans will also recognise him from Some Kind of Wonderful. Aged 75 he returned to the character of John Taggart for 2023’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, a fun reboot that brought Ashton back together with Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold to re-establish one of cinema’s great buddy cop trios.

Prior to the film’s release, Ashton was speaking to Collider as part of an Axel F press junket and started reminiscing about his other great role in Midnight Run. That got him recalling his first meeting with co-star Robert De Niro and the unconventional – and hilarious – way he bagged the part of bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler.

John Ashton’s unconventional audition to win role in Midnight Run

Ashton heard about Midnight Run from a friend while attending a play in LA. He hadn’t been approached for it yet, but after learning Martin Brest, whom he had worked with on Beverly Hills Cop, was directing, he called Brest. Though Brest thought Ashton would be great for the role, he insisted Ashton had to audition with Robert De Niro.

“So I went and I had an audition with Bob,” Ashton told Collider in 2023. “There were about 30 guys in the hallway, and everybody was like, ‘Oh my god, I gotta read with Bobby De Niro?’ Everybody was freaking out, and I said, ‘I can’t wait, man. Nobody’s getting this role but me.’

“I went in, and Bob and I talked a little bit, and then we started reading the scene, and — I’ll have to swear a little bit — I said, ‘Give me the keys, Jack. Give me the keys.’ And Bobby started handing me these matches, and I went to grab the matches, and he threw them on the floor and stared at me.

“I looked at the matches, and I looked up, and I said, ‘F*ck you,’ and he said, ‘F*ck you, too.’ I said, ‘Go f*ck yourself.’ I know every other actor picked those up and handed it to him, and I found out as soon as I left he went, ‘I want him,’ because he wanted somebody to stand up to him. Bob and I got along great on the film.”

John Ashton: a distinguished American actor

Top 10 Eddie Murphy Films (…Or A List Of Films Before Eddie Murphy Lost The Ability To Make You Laugh) - Top 10 Films

Eddie Murphy with John Ashton and Judge Reinhold in Beverly Hills Cop 2 (1987).

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and raised in Enfield, Connecticut, Ashton developed his craft at the University of Southern California School of Theatre, which laid the foundation for a remarkable body of work.

Ashton’s breakout role came in the 1980s when he starred as Detective Sergeant John Taggart in the first two Beverly Hills Cop films. His portrayal of Taggart, the no-nonsense yet humorously straight-laced detective, solidified his reputation in Hollywood.

Beyond Beverly Hills Cop, Ashton played memorable roles in other films of the era, including Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), where he starred as the father of Eric Stoltz’s character. His talent for portraying complex, often gritty characters was further showcased in Gone Baby Gone (2007), where he played a supporting role in Ben Affleck’s critically acclaimed directorial debut.

On television, Ashton’s versatility shone through guest appearances on series like Dallas, Columbo, and Police Squad!. He left a mark on 80s TV with his role as Cactus Jack Slater in The A-Team. His work across multiple genres made him a recognisable face to audiences, whether in intense dramas or light-hearted comedies.

Ashton’s legacy lies not just in the roles he played, but in the authenticity he brought to every character, leaving an indelible mark on American film and television history.