Postlethwaite rejected Scorsese offer

[edonline]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2955304.stm

Last Updated: Monday, 2 June, 2003, 07:31 GMT 08:31 UK

Postlethwaite rejected Scorsese offer

UK actor Pete Postlethwaite has said he turned down a dream part in the film Gangs of New York because actors were offered "reduced wages".

Postlethwaite says he was offered the chance to work with director Martin Scorsese on the Oscar-nominated epic.

But he told an Australian newspaper he was put off after discovering that producers had convinced the cast to work for less pay.

Postlethwaite - himself Oscar-nominated for his role in The Name of the Father - said the explanation given was "because everyone wants to work with Martin Scorsese".

He told The Australian: "It was the biggest dream of my life to work with him (Scorsese), but I thought it was a bit of a scam. Oh well."

Miramax, which produced Scorsese's film, was not immediately available to comment.

Postlethwaite, who has appeared in Romeo and Juliet, The Usual Suspects and Brassed Off, is also known for his TV drama roles in series such as the BBC's The Sins.

He is currently touring Australia in his one-man show, Scaramouche Jones, in which he plays an ancient clown who recounts his life on the eve of the millennium.

He is also shooting a cameo role alongside Paul Hogan in Australian film Strange Bedfellows.

[bob]

coughidiotcough

AHEM

Oh, I'm sorry. I coughed while I was calling Pete Posthelwaite and idiot.

[Milhouse]

Good actor but honestly he is fooling himself if he is waiting for that $30 million to do Terminator 4

[Cunning Visions]

Originally posted by bob
coughidiotcough

AHEM

Oh, I'm sorry. I coughed while I was calling Pete Posthelwaite and idiot.

That was hysterical bob, thanks for the laugh

Anyways I GUESS I can understand where he's coming from. He's an old school kind of guy that sticks to his ways no matter what. If they wouldn't pay him his normal salary...then he wasn't going to be a part of it.

But...and this is a big BUT...never, ever under any circumstances...turn down Scorsese. An offer to work with someone like that doesn't come around very often. Mr. Kobayashi should have accepted the offer, even if it meant going against what he believes in. Well thats just my 2 cents

[Grebdron]

I wouldn't pay PP over scale to clean my apartment.

Dolt.

[Tuukka]

Well, I think Pete Postlethwaite is a GREAT actor and his past directors include likes of Ridley Scott, David Fincher, Michael Mann and Steven Spielberg. That's a pretty good list if I might say.

But really, it's probably just a question of work ethic for him.

He wants the normal salary no matter to whom he works to. If you were a plumber, would you do your work cheaper if you would be allowed to repair the pipes in Scorsese's house? Or if you were a pizza delivery boy, would you give out the pizza cheaper to Scorcese just because he is Scorsese? Maybe he just has a craftsman's attitude to his profession.

But a damn good actor he is.

Of course, I would work for Scorsese for free. I would PAY to work with him. But obviously PP can set higher standards for himself than I can.

[Nate6]

I have to agree with Tuukka here. Personally, I would pay to work with Scorsese. Even if it was a Scooby-Doo sequel. However, that's not everyone. If he wants his normal salary he is entitled to turn down anything he wants. But he won't get a ton of work that way either.

[Buck Turgidson]

Poor Pete. He missed his chance to work w/ heavyweights like Cameron Diaz and Leo Di :rolleyes:

I applaud his professionalism, myself.

[Paterfamilias]

If the reason given for being asked to take a salary cut is "because you get to work with Scorscese, then I think that's pretty lame, and I have no problem with him turning it down.

I applaud actors who take less pay to work on smaller independant projects that could never afford to pay the $15-20 million salaries commanded by some actors.

But this was not some small picture that was struggling to get made.

[Bullet Tooth Tony]

I'd pay Scorsese to work with him, simple as that.

I can see Pete's point though. It'd be like going to work and because you get a better boss, you have to take a pay cut cause of the privelidge of working with him.