Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection The actor gives a glimpse into making the cult classic and explains some scenes that somewhat redeemed his character were cut. Rex Manning Day is serious business for fans of Empire Records. And every year on April 8, Twitter is trending about the event that took place in the 1995 film. Actor Maxwell Caulfield, who played the aging, pompous music idol, Rex Manning, says he finds the day both heartwarming and stunning. "It's titled Rex Manning Day, but it might as well be called Empire Records Day," Caulfield told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday. "It initially eluded me because the film had been such a box office disappointment, so I didn't give it the credence that it has developed over the years. It just won't go away. It's one of those showbiz oddities."