Thursday, December 18, 2008

Dave Chappelle Turned Down Wayans Role In Requiem For A Dream



(image via garlingauge)

Comedians, as a rule, are generally pretty fucked up people. They do blow; they are out of shape; they loathe themselves. Richard Pryor. John Belushi. Artie Lange. You get the point.

We could go into a whole flatulent argument using Aristotle's Poetics about how successful comedy champions essentially unsavory people (Seinfeld, anyone?), while Tragedy -- the higher Art form -- bathes in the blood of The-Rightous-Brought-Low, but we'll spare you that whole evangelical-philosophical spiel and get to how Dave Chappelle fits into the scheme of The Corsair's post.

If there can be such a thing as a comedic genius, then clearly Dave Chappelle is possessed of it (and, next to Norm MacDonald, the best timing in the business). He is also profoundly self-sabotaging and, on occasion, nutty as an Almond Joy. But we love him. Yes, he's made millions from his comedy show DVDs (he could have made much, much more), which, admittedly, did what successful comedy is supposed to do, namely: play to the buffoonish instincts of the crowd. But his discovery of what he'd been doing all those years in his chosen vocation - and the abrupt 3rd season Chappelle Show veer to get in touch with his inner South African Muslim -- was more than a little eccentric. Perot-ish, if you will.


Darren Aronofsky was on The Howard Stern Show this morning, talking about how Dave Chapelle might have turned down a breakthrough role that could have launched him as a dramatic actor. From Marksfriggin:

"Howard said he had Darren Aronofsky on the phone. He directed the movie 'The Wrestler' that Howard liked so much. Howard said that it was genius casting Mickey Rourke in it.

"... Howard said that Artie (Lange) has this story about working at MAD TV and getting all coked up and meeting Darren at a party out in L.A. years ago. Darren said that this is all nonsense because he doesn't remember this stuff. Howard said Artie has a theory about why Darren didn't give him the job in this movie. Darren said that he doesn't remember any of that happening but he did know this guy David Herman from MAD TV.

"Artie told Darren about his friend telling him that he once did something to Darren at this party. Artie said that his friend told him that they were at the party and he picked a fight with Darren and kept calling him a film school fag and slapping him in the head. Artie said he didn't remember doing that and had no recollection of doing it. Artie said he had black outs back then so anything is possible. Artie said after he did the audition he figured that maybe Darren was jerking him around with the part.

"Darren said he doesn't have an answer for why he didn't get the part. Darren said they gave the part to this guy Wass. Darren said that he really didn't have any memories of Artie doing anything wrong to him. He said that he saw Artie at a party about 2 years ago and was afraid to go up to him and talk to him. He said that Artie did a great job in the audition but he was too recognizable. He wanted someone that would blend into the movie and not pop out.

"Howard said Darren is right about that because you don't see anyone famous popping out in the scenes. That makes it look like a documentary. Darren said that Artie is very talented and he was very impressed with his work. Howard said he wants to know why he never gets that kind of comment or movie offers.

"Howard said he heard that Darren might be directing the next Robocop. Darren said they're working on a screenplay right now but he's not sure if that's going to happen. Robin said that she thinks that would be great. Howard said that he'd play Robocop and he'd shave his head to do it.

"Artie said that casting Marlon Wayans in 'Requiem' was a great pick. Darren said that when he read the book he felt that character had a lot of comedy in him so he had to cast a comedian. He asked Dave Chappelle to play the part but he didn't want to do it.

"Howard spent a couple of minutes asking Darren about his girlfriend Rachel Weisz and then gave him some plugs for this movie 'The Wrestler.' They talked about the movie a little more after that. Robin wanted to know why Nick Cage backed out of the deal. Howard said that Darren said that he just couldn't do it with him and he had to do it with Mickey.

"Darren said that he had a really hard conversation with Nick Cage and he as the ultimate gentleman about the whole thing. Darren said that Nick could have done it but the part really was meant for Mickey. Darren said that The Ram really was Mickey and he had to have him in it."


Nic Cage already has his Oscar, let Mickey get his shot. God, how awesome would Dave Chappelle, playing a desperate junkie comedian -- which he has already done to some degree -- have been in "Requiem"?

What if Chappelle -- like, arguably Jamie Foxx from In Living Color to Ray -- toned down his comedic impression talent for the big screen? Might he have been a breakthrough artist? Those meaty roles in iconic films like "Requiem" come across once in a lifetime, so we probably will never know.

After the phone call, Aronofsky drove to personally hand a screener copy up to Vince McMahon of the WWR. Darren knows "The Wrestler's" audience -- Stern and McMahon, the Hillary Democrats.

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