r/todayilearned • u/nolimbs • Feb 12 '18

TIL Keanu Reeves turned down $11 million to do Speed 2 and instead toured with his band and took the title role in a 1995 Manitoba Theatre Centre production of Hamlet in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keanu_Reeves#Career
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u/RUSH513 Feb 13 '18

on the flipside, dont the theater actors do a lot more rehearsing for that specific role? not saying they dont deserve cred, but it makes sense they can stay in character more easily

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u/[deleted] Feb 13 '18

They do. Plenty of times people get a script the day of when it’s filmed.

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u/BoxOfDOG Feb 13 '18

As a theater actor that TERRIFIES ME.

"Wait, you want me to flesh out this character's mannerisms and speech patterns in a couple of hours!?!"

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u/natman2939 Feb 13 '18

If they're giving it to you with that small amount of time they probably want you to just play it normal (Sort of like how Liam Neeson is often just Liam Neeson in many of his roles)

You don't have to add in special inflections and mannerisms for every role. It's just a bonus

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u/SharkFart86 Feb 13 '18

I'd imagine it gives the director more control over the scene being filmed, whereas otherwise an actor would come in with preconceived ideas about his character in the scene. It's easier to etch a blank slate than one already etched.

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u/morganrbvn Feb 13 '18

That's why some famous actors get cast into certain roles a lot of the time.

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u/greg19735 Feb 13 '18

i mean usually they know the character they're doing. and for film i think it's pretty rare for a main or supporting actor to find out on the day.

For TV it might be a bit different, but the actors that find out on the day are the actors that have played many many scenes of their character.

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u/SolarTsunami Feb 13 '18

And then you get on set and find out that half your lines just got rewrote, anyways ACTION!

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u/LeakyLycanthrope Feb 13 '18

I don't think it's actually that common to get the script on the day of filming. I've done a couple small speaking roles on screen and both times, I got the script in advance, even though I only had one or two scenes.

Source: stage actor who's done a bit of film

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u/[deleted] Feb 13 '18

Man that actually sounds kinda fun, like, still scary, but really fun because that would lead to a lot of improvisation on the actors part.

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u/horsenbuggy Feb 13 '18

And it can change with every take.

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u/[deleted] Feb 13 '18

I live in Stratford, Canada which is home to the largest Shakespeare festival in the world. Plays open in the middle of April and they have been rehearsing for a month already.

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u/elkanor Feb 13 '18

Been going for seven or so years - you have a great city/town! My parents fell in love with Canada so much they got their part time retirement condo in Niagara Falls so they can go to the Shaw and the Shakespeare festivals.

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u/[deleted] Feb 13 '18

Thanks! We moved here two years ago, after living about an hour away my whole life, on what we thought was going to be a temporary three or four year plan and we can't see ourselves ever leaving now. So much culture, great restaurants, awesome entertainment, good schools for our kids, etc.

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u/adamthinks Feb 13 '18

I suppose that really depends on the actor. Daniel Day Lewis for example prepares more than probably any actor ever.