23 Times Actors Were Honest About Why They Took Roles

2.

On the crimson carpet for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Rachel Zegler was asked what made her “step into this world of DC heroes.” She replied, “I needed a job. I’m being so serious.” She continued, “The reality is we’re in the middle of a pandemic and I was not working and I couldn’t get a job for the life of me, because West Side Story hadn’t come out yet. It was really hard to book work for me.”

However, Rachel also went on to gush about being cast after loving the first movie, and called herself “lucky” for getting the job. “I made some of my best friends on this job. I just absolutely adore this movie, too, so I’m excited.”

3.

David Cross has said he only did Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked because he was contractually obligated to appear in all three Alvin and the Chipmunks films. He called filming for the third installment, “literally, without question, the most unpleasant experience I’ve ever had in my professional life.”

He told Conan O’Brien, “All I wanted was to get the fuck out of there as soon as possible … and buy a summer home with the check,” and that he’d essentially been “forced at legal gunpoint” to film for a week on a Carnival cruise in a pelican costume.

4.

Channing Tatum similarly said he was contractually forced to do GI Joe. He told Howard Stern, “I fucking hate that movie. I hate that movie. I was pushed into doing that movie. From Coach Carter, they signed me to a three-picture deal … As a young [actor], you’re like, ‘Oh my god, that sounds amazing, I’m doing that!’” He continued. “Time goes by and you get other jobs and you’re building your quote and you have a dream job you want to do. And … the studio calls up and they’re like, ‘Hey, we got a movie for you, we’re going to send it to you.’ And they send it to you, and it’s GI Joe..” Tatum said the script was bad, but he wasn’t able to get out of it — “No option: ‘You’re doing this or we’re gonna sue you.’”

5.

Stephen Dillan, who played Stannis on Game of Thrones, said the primary thing he got out of his time on the series was “money,” and that it wasn’t really a role he was interested in. He also said he had difficulty understanding some of the storylines, saying he was dependent on Liam Cunningham (who played Davos) to tell him what scenes were about: “I didn’t know what I was doing until we’d finished filming and it was too late. The damage had been done. I thought no one would believe in me and I was rather disheartened by the end.”

6.

Daniel Craig felt extremely burnt out from playing James Bond after filming Spectre. “I genuinely felt like I couldn’t do that anymore. I felt like, What was the point?” In fact, after filming Spectre, Craig famously said he’d rather “slash his wrists” than do another Bond movie, noting that if he did, “it would only be for the money.” He ended up doing a final installment, No Time to Die.

7.

After starring on Glee, Amber Riley posted a TikTook that appeared to reference her emotions concerning the present, lip-synching to the phrases “Yes, I did that. And you would do it too for a check. I was an employee. And I was gonna get employee of the month. And that’s on periodt.”

8.

Jackie Chan stated there was “no reason” to make Rush Hour, in contrast to his different movies, the place he had “something to say.” He additionally stated he disliked the movie, however, “You just give me the money and I’m fine.”

9.

Michael Caine famously stated of the critically panned Jaws 4: The Revenge, “I have never seen the film, but by all accounts it was terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific.”

10.

Laurence Olivier additionally famously stated, in reference to showing in Inchon, “People ask me why I’m playing in this picture,” the actor acknowledged concerning the 1981 film, “The answer is simple. Money, dear boy. I’m like vintage wine. You have to drink me quickly before I turn sour. I’m almost used up now and I can feel the end coming. That’s why I’m taking money now. I’ve got nothing to leave my family but the money I can make from films. Nothing is beneath me if it pays well”.

11.

Morgan Freeman stated he starred within the sequel to London Has Fallen for cash, and in addition implied he needed to strengthen his relationship with Lionsgate. “These large production action films pay well. Rewards are many. You’ve got a film that everybody is going to respond to. They’re gonna go and see it, they gonna…it’s gonna make its money back. That studio, Lionsgate, so…they’ll be right back out there making another movie, and you never know when they’re gonna call you back.”

12.

Dennis Hopper stated he took the function of King Koops in Super Mario Brothers so he might afford to purchase issues for his son, joking that his son advised him it wasn’t price it whereas on Conan.

13.

Billy Bob Thornton has admitted to taking a number of appearing jobs for cash, together with On Deadly Ground: “I did it because I didn’t have any money. My wife was pregnant with my son Willy at the time and I went and did it.”

14.

He additionally stated he did Armagedden for the cash. “People say, ‘But wait a minute, you did Armageddon.’ Yeah, I did, I had to pay off my divorce. But it’s a harmless movie, it’s not like we did something bad…but it’s not what I would choose to do today. I guess the bottom line is, I’m just trying to get by.”

15.

Richard Dreyfuss stated he did Red “for the money and to work with this group of folks,” including he is “nothing if not honest.” He did additionally say, nevertheless, that he “loved the opportunity to be the baddie”…although one of many the reason why was as a result of “they normally get probably the most days off.”

16.

He additionally alluded to having accomplished Piranha 3-D for a similar motive. “I worked for two days in the middle of the desert, got my check, and then I left,” he said. “I didn’t understand 3-D in the fifties and I can’t say I get it now either. I just don’t see what the big deal is.”

17.

Tim Roth stated he “hated” filming United Passions and referred to as it “the wrong film but for the right reasons.” He continued, “I had two kids in college so I had to make a decision and it was probably poorly judged, but once you make that decision you have to follow through. It’s a hard road, being in something you don’t want to do, but I’m glad I did it for my family. “

18.

Sylvester Stallone solely auditioned for the softcore porn movie, The Party at Kitty and Stud’s, as a result of he’d been evicted and was sleeping on the Port Authority Bus Terminal. He stated he’d had to decide on between doing the film or robbing somebody, saying he was at “the very end” of his rope. Starring within the movie gave him $200 and acquired him out of being unhoused.

19.

Stallone additionally solely took the function within the critically panned Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot as a result of he thought he was taking the half from longtime rival Arnold Schwarzenegger. Stallone advised the Hollywood Reporter, “I had heard Schwarzenegger was going to do that movie and I said, ‘I’m going to beat him to it.’ I think he set me up,” and Schwarzenegger has admitted the story is “100% true.”

Stallone later referred to as it “the worst movie I’ve ever made by far” and “possibly one of many worst movies in your entire photo voltaic system, together with alien productions we’ve by no means seen… a flatworm might write a greater script than Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.”

20.

Brad Pitt was not a fan of the script, and specifically, the way in which his character was written, for Interview With the Vampire. He grew to become particularly depressing after manufacturing moved to London, the place he spent six months “in the fucking dark,” which he stated “broke” him. He referred to as producer David Geffen to ask how a lot it will price to get him out of the film, and Geffen answered, “$40 million”…so Pitt determined to “ride [it] through.”

21.

Pitt was additionally contractually obligated to make Troy resulting from pulling out of one other film with the studio. He stated the plot drove him wild and that he did not love the path of the movie: “I realized that the way the movie was being told was not how I wanted it to be.”

22.

When Keith David was requested what attracted him to The Thing, he replied, “It was a job,” additionally mentioning it was his first film function. However, he did acknowledge it was an awesome expertise, saying, “It was the coolest first movie that I could have ever thought I’d get to be in. With the exception of Kurt Russell, who grew up in the movies and TV, I was surrounded by theater actors: Richard Masur, Richard Dysart, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Peter Maloney, whom I knew from New York. Tommy Waites and I spent some time at Julliard together. It was a phenomenal first experience.”

23.

And lastly, Josh Brolin did not particularly say he did it for the cash or to satisfy a contract, however he did name taking part in Cable in Deadpool 2 “a business transaction.” He stated, “Even though it was funny, it was harder [than playing Thanos in the Avengers films].” He continued, “It was more, ‘We need to make this like this,’ whereas I didn’t feel that way with ‘Avengers.'”