Sick over Flags role
Going to war: Saulteaux Indian Adam Beach fought hard for "Flags" roleBeach, a member of the Saulteaux tribe, wanted to play the tragic American Indian Ira Hayes, one of the six men seen in what became history's most reproduced photograph.
Word got back to Beach. No go. Eastwood wanted to cast age-appropriate actors and the 33-year-old Beach was a good decade too old.
"I thought, 'That's a bum rap,' " Beach says. "Then a few weeks before the shoot, I'm coming out of a bout with the flu and I'm not answering my phone. I get a message. 'You better call Clint Eastwood.' So I did. 'Put yourself on tape.' I made a tape and sent it in. And I think because I was coming out of the flu, it gave me such a tortured feeling that Eastwood couldn't resist. 'Whoa, this guy looks terrible. He's perfect.' " 
Word got back to Beach. No go. Eastwood wanted to cast age-appropriate actors and the 33-year-old Beach was a good decade too old.
"I thought, 'That's a bum rap,' " Beach says. "Then a few weeks before the shoot, I'm coming out of a bout with the flu and I'm not answering my phone. I get a message. 'You better call Clint Eastwood.' So I did. 'Put yourself on tape.' I made a tape and sent it in. And I think because I was coming out of the flu, it gave me such a tortured feeling that Eastwood couldn't resist. 'Whoa, this guy looks terrible. He's perfect.' "
posted by Rob at 1:50 AM
1 Comments:
Writerfella here --
But that's how it works. You can look the very best that you can, and you go in for the audition fully prepared and also knowing your lines from the 'sides.' But something odd happens and it all but destroys what you thought was about to be your best shot at the part. You do it anyway, leave the place sure that you missed it 'by that much,' and they call you back. No one can explain the why or how it worked when it looked like it all had fallen apart.
writerfella went in for his PORKY'S 2 audition, and the director Bob Clark asked for a second audition 'in costume' and for writerfella to have 'shorter hair.' So, writerfella had his hair shortened, wore a work shirt and work pants, along with suede hightops. There were five others who were called in front of him, but the very second writerfella walked in, Bob Clark said, "You're hired!"
The rest may be history, but it also shows that you can't predict or even imagine what the filmmakers are looking for. The only thing you can call it up to is luck.
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
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