William Petersen cherishes 'To Live and Die in L.A.' memories after 40 years

William Petersen recently got candid and shared the best memories from the set of To Live and Die in L.A.

For those unaware, To Live and Die in L.A., was a crime thriller movie, which was released on November 1, 1985.

Prior to the movie’s 40th Anniversary screening, Petersen attended Beyond Fest at the American Cinematheque, where he cherished the memories he made while filming the classic film that gave him his Hollywood breakthrough.

In a talk with PEOPLE magazine, he reflected on the iconic scene that was filmed at the top of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, California, almost 400 feet above the Los Angeles Harbor.

The Manhunter star said, “Standing up on top of the bridge before the jump was pretty big.”

Petersen explained, “That was an early morning Sunday, like a 7 a.m., chilly Sunday morning, and I'm standing on the railing above this bridge holding onto a bridge cable. And I'm like, ‘What in...? How did I get here? Wait a minute – just a little while ago, I was in Canada doing a play. How did I get on top of this bridge?’"

"That was a great day of shooting,” he remarked.

It is pertinent to mention that To Live and Die in L.A. was directed by the legendary director William Friedkin.