Javier Bardem Backs Out of 'Nine'
Filed under: Casting, Celebrities and Controversy
Last month, he gets replaced by a woman. This month, he's just too tired to go on. Variety reports that Javier Bardem is backing out of his lead role in Rob Marshall's upcoming musical, Nine. They say: "Though his camp said that Bardem loved the script and the idea of working with Marshall, he pulled out because he is exhausted from work and awards seasons, and will take as long as a year to recharge his batteries."I'm sorry, but that seems like overkill. Getting tired is understandable, as is needing a break. But let's recap. In the last few years, there was Goya's Ghosts, No Country for Old Men, and Love in the Time of Cholera. He's topping that off with two more -- Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Killing Pablo. Needing a year break after this seems like overkill. I mean, in the same amount of time, Peter O'Toole has taken on 12 roles (being 37-years Javier's senior), Scarlett Johansson, his Vicky co-star, has nine roles, a TV gig, and a directorial gig, Robert Downey Jr. has 11, and so on and so forth.
If this handful of roles and awards has worn him down too much, I have to wonder if he will be able to continue this career for many years to come. Then again, maybe he isn't tired of working, but just tired of the big-name system. Since he got his first credit role in The Ages of Lulu in 1990, he's had at least one gig a year, except for 2005, which remained Bardem-free. It's not like he's a complete newbie. Oh well. At least we still have Vicky and Pablo on the way.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-01-2008 @ 11:26AM
Ivan said...
I agree with your points, but maybe Javier is taking a page from Daniel Day-Lewis' playbook, and taking five years between every project. Who knows, maybe Javier will become a shoemaker, too.
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5-01-2008 @ 11:34AM
Dan said...
Maybe he needs a year to remain a healthy, sane person. Heck, I would take a year off if I could. He'll still have churned out way better stuff than Scarlett Johannsen and Robert Downey Jr.
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5-01-2008 @ 11:34AM
Rebekah said...
I'd rather see him take a break after winning his Oscar than make the same sort of choices Halle Berry made aftering winning hers.
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5-01-2008 @ 11:43AM
Astin said...
If he's got the money and opportunity, then good on him for taking as much time as he needs. As Dan pointed out - Scarlett and Robert churn out a lot of crap in their hectic schedules. Look at Samuel L. Jackson and his crazy filmography. Or Michael Caine in the 80's. Some actors work to keep working, or because they're terrified they'll become irrelevant, or because they have nothing else outside the job. Good for Javier.
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5-01-2008 @ 11:58AM
Maikel said...
Wont there be mix-ups with Shane Acker's "9"? I am really anticipating "9". The short was amazing!
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5-01-2008 @ 2:56PM
Princess of Peace said...
I don't understand why you, Monika, find this a bad thing.
The actors who are taking on so many roles have made a lot of crap. And maybe he will be a bit like Day-Lewis but not as extreme. I don't even know if he will do Pablo. But I admire him for not being a money grubbing, fame seeking
vulture. He has never made tons of films and I don't think that he ever will. And his career will be better than those who make six films a year.
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5-01-2008 @ 5:01PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Why does he need to take so many roles? Scarlett - hot as she is - has a shelf-life of maybe 4 more years before she's doing direct-to-vide/b-movie cable stuff like the Shannon Tweed she's destined to become. O'Toole's trying to pay for all his kids and alimony.
Bardem...he's just a raging stud and can afford to take decent roles. Why go all deNiro and Pacino and sell out, when you can make a long, comfortable career and enjoy your life?
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