Diane Lane Recalls Feeling Overwhelmed by Male Co-Stars on Outsiders Set

Diane Lane reflected on her experience filming the 1983 movie The Outsiders, describing it as both thrilling and overwhelming due to being the only female among a cast of prominent young male actors like Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe. She mentioned that the set felt like it had "too much testosterone for one girl," leading her to keep to herself at times while still feeling lucky to be part of the film. Lane also shared a memorable behind-the-scenes moment involving a drive-in scene where cocoa powder was used to simulate dust, which the cast humorously licked off their hands afterward. Director Francis Ford Coppola highlighted the mutual respect that developed among the young actors despite the potentially volatile mix. The film, based on S.E. Hinton's novel, explores the rivalry between two gangs in 1960s Oklahoma, with Lane's character Cherry playing a significant role in the unfolding drama. The overall atmosphere on set was described as positive, with a sense of camaraderie emerging among the cast.