Having weird rider demands is nothing uncommon in the current world full of hipster artists and “unique snowflakes”. But sometimes actors that have already reached a legendary status, will go as far as demand more screen time, have their lines changed, and even change the title of the movie they’re in! Naturally, all these alterations can’t be good. But some people have no chill.
Anyway, here are 8 actors whose demands have changed crucial movie details!
1. The Mummy (2017)
When Tom Cruise found out that the titular Mummy had the same amount of screen time as his character, he insisted on getting more scenes. And since the whole movie was basically reliant on his performance, the director agreed. And that was the end of the Dark Universe.
2. Snakes on a Plane (2006)
Sam L. Jackson loved this movie title so terribly much, he couldn’t stand aside when the movie execs decided to change “Snakes on a Plane” to “Pacific Flight 121”. He said it was the stupidest damn thing he ever heard. And I do agree with him! While he was at it, Jackson also managed to convince the suits that this should be an R-rated movie, which we actually got in the end, so thanks, SLJ!
3. The Avengers (2012)
Initially, the “shawarma” line in the end was as dull as they come: “what’s next?”. Thankfully, Robert Downey Jr. and Joss Whedon stepped up their game, and Joss wrote 3 whole pages of witty one-liners, only to stop at “shawarma”. The crew loved that bit so much they agreed to make a bonus post-credits scene of them eating long after the movie finished shooting.
4. Jurassic World (2015)
Remember that idiotic scene with Bryce Dallas Howard outrunning the T-Rex while wearing high heels? Yeah, turns out the actress refused to take them off for that chase! And there I thought this was the director’s fault, but nope, it’s feminism.
5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
In Tarantino’s original script Samuel L. Jackson’s character Jules, was supposed to have a big Afro, but the crew member responsible for wigs didn’t know that and bought Jheri curl wig, Thankfully SLJ didn’t mind and actually liked his new hairdo.
6. Shrek (2001)
Have you ever wondered why Shrek sounds Scottish? Turns out after animating a third of the movie, Michael Myers decided the ogre should be Scottish, since Lord Farquaad, the villain, spoke with an upper-class English accent. Re-recording all the lines and changing the animation cost the studio around $5 million, but in the end it was a great decision.
7. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999)
I’ve never noticed that Mace Windu’s lightsaber was purple, but as it turns out, Samuel L. Jackson asked Lucas personally to change the color of his characters weapon, because the default lightsaber was hard to spot in the movie. Jackson’s main argument was that the entire Star Wars lore was inside Lucas’ head, so he could do whatever the heck he wanted with it. Let’s just say fans did not agree with that statement.
8. The Hunger Games (2012)
Technically, this change was not demanded by an actor, but by us the viewers. Buttercup the cat is described in the Hunger Games book as “hideous-looking with a muddy yellow coat, half an ear missing, and eyes the color of rotten squash”. So when the fans saw a black and white kitty they went nuts, and demanded to change it to something that looks like crap. And they did. In the end there were still people who said the studio should’ve stuck to what they had, and people who were ecstatic to see the Buttercup of their dreams, I guess.
