So I was browsing around the net looking for movie news as usual, and I came across an interesting piece about Will Smith turning down the lead in Django Unchained. Some older quotes from Smith and Tarantino:
More recent comments from Will Smith:
^^^^^^^
Smith is referring to Christoph Waltz's Dr. King Schultz in both comments.
Smith's closing thoughts:
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/03/25/will-smith-django-unchained/ (this link is for the more recent comments)
Am I the only one, who smells the bullshit coming from Smith's comments here?
So he praises Tarantino's screenplay for Django as "genius," but then he turns around and says "it's not for me." And on top of that, he complains about Django not receiving enough focus, and not wanting to play second fiddle to Waltz? It just screams ego problems. Funny how Smith changes his tune after Django receives critical praise, two Oscars, and has a successful run at the box office.
But I sense bigger problems with Smith's comments. I sincerely believe Smith turned down the role, because it was too controversial for his taste. Smith and his wife Jada go out of their way to protect and maintain the goody, squeaky clean image. In his movies, Smith always has to be the good guy or hero, and (or) the unquestioned star of the film. Ali was the closest Smith ever came to doing something edgy. Hancock could've given Smith another chance to do something different, but the inevitable face turn ruined that character.
For YEARS Denzel Washington was known as a hero, or he was the protagonist, who you wanted to root for. But as Alonzo in Training Day, he was a nasty backstabbing asshole, and look what happened. DiCaprio was evil in Django, and he delivered a brilliant performance as Calvin Candie.
DiCaprio and Denzel took chances. Smith never takes chances, and he refuses to step outside of his comfort zone. His films will continue to draw large crowds and make shit loads of money, because Smith is a powerhouse box office draw. There's no denying it. But he won't have a spot on the Mt. Rushmore of all-time greats, and if he stays on the comfort zone path, he'll never win the big one.
Smith
"I came really close, it was one of the most amazing screenplays I had ever ever seen. I was in the middle of 'Men In Black 3' and [Tarantino] was ready to go, and I just couldn't sit with him and get through the issues, so I didn't want to hold him up. That thing's going to be ridiculous. It is a genius screenplay."
Tarantino
We spent quite a few hours together over a weekend when he was in New York doing MEN IN BLACK III... I think half the process was an excuse for us to hang out and spend time with one another. It just wasn’t 100 percent right, and we didn’t have time to try to make it that way.”
More recent comments from Will Smith:
“Django wasn’t the lead, so it was like, I need to be the lead. The other character was the lead!
“I was like, ‘No, Quentin, please, I need to kill the bad guy!’”
^^^^^^^
Smith is referring to Christoph Waltz's Dr. King Schultz in both comments.
Smith's closing thoughts:
“I thought it was brilliant. Just not for me.”
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/03/25/will-smith-django-unchained/ (this link is for the more recent comments)
Am I the only one, who smells the bullshit coming from Smith's comments here?
So he praises Tarantino's screenplay for Django as "genius," but then he turns around and says "it's not for me." And on top of that, he complains about Django not receiving enough focus, and not wanting to play second fiddle to Waltz? It just screams ego problems. Funny how Smith changes his tune after Django receives critical praise, two Oscars, and has a successful run at the box office.
But I sense bigger problems with Smith's comments. I sincerely believe Smith turned down the role, because it was too controversial for his taste. Smith and his wife Jada go out of their way to protect and maintain the goody, squeaky clean image. In his movies, Smith always has to be the good guy or hero, and (or) the unquestioned star of the film. Ali was the closest Smith ever came to doing something edgy. Hancock could've given Smith another chance to do something different, but the inevitable face turn ruined that character.
For YEARS Denzel Washington was known as a hero, or he was the protagonist, who you wanted to root for. But as Alonzo in Training Day, he was a nasty backstabbing asshole, and look what happened. DiCaprio was evil in Django, and he delivered a brilliant performance as Calvin Candie.
DiCaprio and Denzel took chances. Smith never takes chances, and he refuses to step outside of his comfort zone. His films will continue to draw large crowds and make shit loads of money, because Smith is a powerhouse box office draw. There's no denying it. But he won't have a spot on the Mt. Rushmore of all-time greats, and if he stays on the comfort zone path, he'll never win the big one.