Sam Rockwell Says He Still Gets Residual Checks for ‘Lean on Me' 'Even Though I'm Not in It'
Sam Rockwell may not actually be in the 1989 film Lean on Me, but he's still paid for the role he almost had.
The Oscar winner recently shared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he, Michael Imperioli and Kevin Corrigan drove together in a van to New Jersey to audition for a single line in the movie, starring Morgan Freeman and Beverly Todd.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
'Awards Chatter' Live Pod: Sam Rockwell on That 'White Lotus' Monologue, 'Three Billboards' Award Season and Upcoming Martin McDonagh Reunion 'Wild Horse Nine'
Newport Beach TV Fest: 'White Lotus' Star Sam Rockwell Set for TV Supporting Performance of the Year Award, Live 'Awards Chatter' Podcast
Walton Goggins Waited Six Months (and Seven Hours) to Film That 'White Lotus' Scene
While Rockwell ultimately landed the role, he admitted they 'never got to my scene' during filming. 'So they had to let me go because they didn't want to pay me for a week,' he said, adding that they just paid him for the day. 'They were like, we can't pay him a week for one line.'
Imperioli was later cast for the role, but The White Lotus actor said, 'I still get residual checks for that even though I'm not in it.'
This wasn't the only time Rockwell and Imperioli were cast in the same role. He also told host Josh Horowitz that he was later called to star in 1998's Celebrity, starring Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis and Leonardo DiCaprio.
'I was part of DiCaprio's entourage and I had a few lines and they said, 'Woody [Allen, director] wants you to dye your hair bleach blonde.' And I said, 'I'm not dying my hair bleach blonde for like five lines. What are you crazy?' And they're like, 'Woody wants you to do it,' and I'm like, 'Well I'm not doing it.''
That's when production told him, ''Well Michael Imperioli was going to do it,' 'cause he had dropped out, and I was replacing Michael because Michael was going to do a little pilot called Sopranos,' he added before quipping, 'I heard it didn't go anywhere.'
Rockwell ended up giving in: 'I said, 'All right, I'll dye my hair.' And I bleached my hair.'
As for Imperioli, The Sopranos definitely did go somewhere, running for eight seasons and winning multiple Emmys.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience
Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Is this the best movie of the 21st century? 500 Hollywood power players think so.
The people have spoken, and the best movie released since Jan. 1, 2000, has been chosen. And by people, we mean the 500 or so actors, directors, writers and other Hollywood power players The New York Times surveyed for its 100 best movies of the 21st century ranking, which came out with its top 20 on June 27. The likes of Pamela Anderson, Nicholas Sparks, Stephen King, Simu Liu, Sofia Coppola, Danielle Brooks, Brian Cox, Ava DuVernay, Molly Ringwald, Rachel Zegler and Mel Brooks had their say — and yes, you can even see each of their top 10 picks, Letterboxd style. Oscar-winning director Coppola apparently took a shining to the 2004 Pixar classic (and fellow Oscar winner) "The Incredibles," while Julianne Moore admitted she's not above a raunchy comedy like "Superbad" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." And Sparks isn't only watching soppy romances; he's also enjoying dramas like "Inception" and "Gladiator." Undeserved Oscar winners – and the ones that should have won What's the best movie released since 2000? None other than Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite," which in 2020 became the first ever non-English film to earn the best picture Oscar, ranked as the No. 1 highest-voted film in the NYT's survey. And no wonder, because it earned an eye-boggling 99% "fresh" rating from nearly 500 film reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. In 2019, USA TODAY's film critic Brian Truitt was close to giving the social commentary thriller full marks (he ended up giving three and a half of four stars). The Korean film "is expertly paced with its reveals, never falls apart (even when it descends into bloody chaos) and also features outstanding acting performances," he noted in his review. In case anyone was wondering, director Bong did not include any of his own films (which includes the recent "Mickey 17" as well as 2017's "Okja" and 2013's "Snowpiercer) in his top nine ranking. New on streaming: From 'Minecraft' to 'KPop Demon Hunters,' what to watch right now The top 20 films since 2000 The top 20 highest-voted films were as follows:
Boston Globe
8 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Karen Read lands deal to adapt case into a scripted project
Advertisement The Read case has received a Read hasn't been shy about sharing her views on the case, sitting down with ID for interviews featured in 'A Body in the Snow,' as well as Advertisement According to The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming scripted adaptation will examine the case and 'the cultural debate' surrounding it, with LBI production head Julie Yorn telling the outlet that the project is 'about what happens when a single voice refuses to be silenced.' Matt Juul can be reached at
New York Post
9 hours ago
- New York Post
Matthew Goode says he didn't get a James Bond audition for this ‘dark' reason
Matthew Goode knows exactly why he isn't a Martini-sipping 007. The English actor, 47, recently revealed he didn't land the role of James Bond – much less receive an audition. 'I didn't audition. I went in and met Barbara [Broccoli],' Goode said while on Thursday's episode of the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast. 9 Matthew Goode talks James Bond. JoshHorowitz/YouTube Broccoli, 65, along with her brother Michael G. Wilson, 83, were the producers of the Bond franchise before they relinquished creative control of the films to Amazon MGM Studios for a reported $1 billion in February. 'I didn't get to the audition,' Goode explained, 'but it was quite a funny one because — and she's gorgeous and just a lovely, lovely person — she was like, 'So what's your idea for Bond?' And I was like, 'My idea for Bond. We've gotta take it back to the books, you know? Really, we absolutely have to make this guy an alcoholic, a drug addict. He hates himself. He hates women. He hates a lot of people. He's in deep pain. He's brilliant at killing people.'' 9 Matthew Goode on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast. JoshHorowitz/YouTube That wasn't the idea Broccoli had in mind. Goode reflected, 'I think by the end of the interview, she was like, 'Mhmm. Next.' I wanted to make it really dark.' Looking back, the 'Leap Year' star knew the detail he was missing, adding that what 'I should have said was, 'But also incredibly charming.'' 9 Matthew Goode in 'Dept. Q.' ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Although, Daniel Craig, who landed the role and portrayed Bond in five films from 2006 to 2021, was a bit darker than his predecessors. 'Ultimately, you know,' Goode stated, 'what they did get was Daniel Craig.' Although he didn't take on the suave British Secret Service agent, these days, the actor stars as DCI Carl Morck on the Netflix thriller series 'Dept. Q.' 9 The UK screening 'Dept. Q.' Getty Images Meanwhile, Bond was created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming. The saga launched in 1962 with Sean Connery as Bond in the first film, 'Dr. No.' Pierce Brosnan brought a debonair 007 to life in four films from 1995 to 2002. Other Bonds have been David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, and Timothy Dalton. Rumors have swirled over who would portray the next 007 after Craig had his final adventure in 2021's 'No Time to Die.' 9 Daniel Craig in 'No Time to Die.' ©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection Amazon MGM Studios announced on Wednesday that the next film has found its new director, Denis Villeneuve. The French-Canadian filmmaker, 57, said in a statement, 'I'm a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he's sacred territory.' 'I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor.' 9 Jane Seymour, Roger Moore in 'Live and Let Die.' Everett Collection (liveandletdie1973-fsct17) 'James Bond is in the hands of one of today's greatest filmmakers,' Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, added. Spearheading the franchise is Amy Pascal — who helped bring Craig in as Bond — and David Heyman. At Cannes in May, Harrison Dickinson addressed rumors that he was in the running to be the new spy. 9 Michelle Yeoh, Pierce Brosnan in 'Tomorrow Never Dies.' ©United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection 'Jonathan Bailey is your first choice, so let's go with that,' quipped the star, 29, after the reporter stated Dickinson would be his third pick. 'That sounds like a good idea.' That same month, Denise Richards, who starred as Dr. Christmas Jones alongside Brosnan, 72, in the 1999 action/thriller 'The World Is Not Enough' threw her idea for Bond into the hat. 'I really don't even know,' the 'Wild Things' vet, 54, exclusively told The Post, before her husband, Aaron Phypers, 52, chimed in, 'I would do it.' 9 Roger Moore as James Bond. ©United Artists/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection 9 Pierce Brosnan in 2002's 'Die Another Day.' ©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection 'He would be an amazing Bond,' Richards concurred, to which the wellness coach added, 'I could do it. No problem.' 'I don't even know who is in the mix,' confessed the Bravo star. 'I know they will cast someone amazing.' In March, Brosnan said it's a 'given' that the next man to suit up must be British. He added that it was also the 'right decision' for the franchise to be given to Amazon. 'It takes great courage for them to let go,' Brosnan expressed to the Telegraph. 'I hope that [Amazon] handles the work and the character with dignity and imagination and respect.' 'In this world that is moving so fast now, at the speed of light, [the takeover] does come with a certain lament,' Brosnan continued. 'I thought it was coming for some time, I guess, but I think it was the right decision for Barbara and Michael.'
