In 1987, Mailer was to appear in Jean-Luc Godard's experimental film version of Shakespeare's "King Lear", to be shot in Switzerland. Originally, Mailer was to play the lead character, Don Learo, in Godard's unscripted film alongside his daughter, Kate Mailer. The film also featured a variable list of Hollywood stars such as Woody Allen and Peter Sellers. However, tensions surfaced between Mailer and Godard early in the production when Godard insisted that Mailer play a character who had a carnal relationship with his own daughter. Mailer left Switzerland after just one day of shooting.