An actor with style and delivery can elevate the form — and the human spirit — with
their performance, but at the end of the day, it's also a profession.
Although a role in a critically acclaimed indie flick might earn a few pats on the back
and awards, at the end of the day, it's usually blockbusters that pay the bills.
These actors have been guilty of taking gigs strictly for the money — but to their credit,
they were totally upfront about it afterward.
Sir Michael Caine in Jaws: The Revenge
Sir Michael Caine is one of the most acclaimed actors in modern cinema.
His six-decade filmography is laced with award-winning performances, including his roles in Woody
Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters, as well as several nominations for Alfie and The Quiet
American.
Naturally, not every performance can be a winner and not every film is destined to be
met with critical acclaim — and like the rest of us, Mr. Caine still needs to eat.
Hence the actor's participation in fare such as Jaws: The Revenge, the fourth and final
movie in the Jaws franchise.
The knighted thespian is unapologetic for his presence in the movie — which scored
an embarrassing 14 percent audience review on Rotten Tomatoes — and his famously candid
quote sums things up perfectly.
"I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible.
However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."
Sir Alec Guinness in Star Wars: A New Hope
For the younger members of the cast, 1977's original Star Wars: A New Hope was a springboard
to a film career.
But for their veteran counterparts, the space opera was just another job.
Take Alec Guinness, for example.
Already the Academy Award-winning star of renowned films like Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence
of Arabia, Guinness — who plays Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original trilogy — was
reportedly nonplussed with his newfound Star Wars stardom.
His autobiography includes his recollection of a moment when he discouraged an overzealous
fan from watching the films again, and he clearly saw the part as a paycheck in numerous
interviews.
"And then when I opened it and found it was science fiction I thought, 'Oh crumbs, this
is simply not for me.'"
While on set he also wrote to longtime friend Anne Kauffman, "I just think, thankfully,
of the lovely bread, which will help me keep going until next April."
The force was strong with his wallet.
Jackie Chan in Rush Hour
Since Jackie Chan's "official" Western audience debut in 1995's Rumble in the Bronx, Chan
has remained a consistent presence on the American cultural landscape, even enjoying
a stint as an animated character in Jackie Chan Adventures.
In the late '90s, though, seeking to further his global influence and crossover appeal,
Chan teamed up with Chris Tucker for the Brett Ratner-directed action-comedy flick Rush Hour.
It proved an undeniable box office darling, spinning off several sequels, but later, Chan
admitted his own distaste for the goofball movie.
"I have reasons to do each film, I have something to say.
Unlike Rush Hour—there was no reason [in making it], you just give me the money and
I'm fine.
I dislike Rush Hour the most, but ironically it sold really well in the U.S. and Europe."
"Do you understand the words that are coming out from my mouth?
"Nobody understands the words coming out of your mouth, man!"
Well, ain't that a kick in the chops.
Glenn Close in Guardians of the Galaxy
Glenn Close's talent speaks for itself, but in today's film industry, the bulk of the
films in development are would-be tentpoles, and prestige pictures are few and far between.
It's left actors like Close, who appeared in Marvel's first Guardians of the Galaxy
movie, to subsidize their art through sometimes surprising means.
"I just did two independent films this summer and I had an absolute ball with fantastic
actors, but in August, I'm gonna go off and do the next generation of Marvel Comics/Disney
and I get to be the chief police of the galaxy.
I'm doing that because it will then afford me to go do the other kind of movies that
I really love."
Sadly, under the circumstances, her mercenary attitude makes sense.
So moviegoers can certainly forgive Ms. Close for her fiscally based rationale.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Airplane
Whatever happened to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's movie career?
Sure, he wasn't about to win any Oscars, but he was pretty solid for a basketball star
turned actor.
His Airplane! role, as the copilot Roger Murdock marked the beginning of a post-NBA acting
and voicework career.
"We have clearance, Clarence"
"Roger Roger.
What's our vector, Victor?"
Abdul-Jabbar's motives to branch out into acting may not have been artistically pure,
but he did have a natural charisma that, in addition to his colossal height, made him
stand out.
Airplane! co-directors David and Jerry Zucker said they offered Abdul-Jabbar a cool sum
of $30,000 for the role — and the hoopster's manager got back to them with a very "creative"
reason for a slight hike in rate.
"The agent asked for $35,000 because that's how much this rug cost that Kareem wanted
to buy."
"...our initial reaction was, 'That's got to be the best line we've ever heard from
an agent.'"
"But then a couple of weeks later, there's an article in Time with a picture of Kareem
standing in front of the oriental rug that he'd bought for $35,000 after we'd paid him."
At least Abdul-Jabbar was up-front about his reel requirements.
Betsy Palmer in Friday the 13th
One of the big gotcha moments in the horror blockbuster Friday the 13th is the climactic
reveal that Jason isn't the murderer, but rather, it's his mother played by Betsy Palmer.
For the killer role, director Sean Cunningham recruited TV vet Betsy Palmer, whose credits
include Studio One in Hollywood and Love American Style.
Apparently, the opportunity came at the perfect time, as Palmer told MovieWeb.
"The phone rang and my agent said, 'How would you like to do a movie?' and I said, 'Great!
That will pay for the car I want to buy.'
And I said, 'Oh… nobody is ever going to see this.'"
Boy, that sure backfired on her — the movie's visibility, that is.
Hopefully not the car.
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