Johnny Depp, to commit to a role in the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven.
Clooney and director Steven Soderbergh were interviewed by Ben Mankiewicz earlier this week in front of an audience at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival. One knew it would be a laugh-fest as soon as Clooney took the stage, sat down, and immediately remarked, “We have time for one more question.”
Mankiewicz humorously played along, asking, “What was it like working with Brad Pitt?”
When the conversation about Ocean’s Eleven took off, Clooney regaled the crowd with anecdotes about the stars he courted to the cast. One of Clooney’s success stories involved Julia Roberts, whom he cajoled to appear in he film via a playful sleight-of-hand; as Clooney explained, she was getting $20 million a film at the time, so he sent her a $20 bill, along with a quip that he “heard she was getting 20 a movie.” The joke worked, and she jumped aboard, though for significantly more than $20.
Clooney also mentioned, “Some very famous people told us to fu** right off.”
Following the crowd’s laughter, Clooney added, “We went to their homes and sat with them.”
Mankiewicz chimed in, saying, “That’s the polite way to tell people to fu** off,” and Clooney noted that Mark Wahlberg itted to being one of them. Clooney then named “Johnny Depp,” to everyone’s surprise.
Mankiewicz suggested that these thespians and others likely regret not doing the film, to which Clooney retorted, “I regret doing fu**ing Batman!”
Owen Wilson was also mentioned as someone who turned down an Oceans role. Clooney and Soderbergh playfully discussed a mashup of Soderbergh’s films, Ocean’s Eleven and Magic Mike, calling it “Ocean’s Mike.”
Ocean’s Eleven made $450 million at the box office on a budget of $85 million, and spawned multiple sequels. None of which star Johnny Depp.
Published: Apr 21, 2023 03:00 pm