Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
I am delighted by something I just read off the entertainment headlines for the day, an article from this morning's Variety. It delights me for a lot of reasons. First, let me share it with you:
"HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Jack Nicholson has agreed to take a pay cut to star for director Alexander Payne (''Election'') in ''About Schmidt.'' The New Line project is budgeted at just north of $30 million, which would not go very far if Nicholson took his usual fee in the $15 million range. Details of his new arrangement were not available, though it is likely he will grab a big share of any profits."
Jack, thank you. You were one of the guys who pioneered the idea of the double-dip, getting paid your full superstar salary AND taking a major chunk of the grosses. You got so rich off BATMAN, you really were a supervillain. I don't begrudge you a penny of it, but I will say that deals like that are the death of big-name actors in little films. There are projects that are worth doing regardless of the money you make up front. In a recent conversation, I listened to someone list the projects that Arnold Schwarzeneggar has passed on because of money, and I compared that list to THE SIXTH DAY, END OF DAYS, and COLLATERAL DAMAGE, and there's no way anyone can fool themselves into thinking Arnold's doing it for anything but the coin at this point. It's important to take chances, to stretch as a performer, and if Nicholson is going to work with Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne, the creative team behind last year's wonderful ELECTION, then god bless him for doing it for a price. I hope other major actors... coughharrisonfordcough... look at this and see just how much Nicholson gains by giving up so little.
For the full story, CLICK HERE!!
"Moriarty" out.
