The Wolf of Wall Street is considered one of Martin Scorsese’s most epic masterpieces. The movie portrays Jordan Belfort, one of the most successful, flamboyant, and controversial stockbrokers of the late eighties to the mid-nineties. The film had an all-star cast featuring  Leonardo Di Caprio, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Favreau, Rob Reiner, and Jonah Hill. But did you know that one of the main characters received a small payout for his role? 

Jonah Hill accepted a relatively small talent fee for his participation in The Wolf of Wall Street. He only received $60,000 as the studio used his strong desire to work with Martin Scorsese as leverage as they talked about his fee.

How Did the Producers Negotiate with Jonah Hill? 

In an interview on The Howard Stern Show, actor Jonah Hill discussed how much he was paid to be cast in The Wolf of Wall Street. Hill revealed that the studio offered him a relatively small $60,000 for his character even though he played an essential role in the film.

Hill claims that he was given the lowest possible fee, and he agreed to it because of his interest in working with the brilliant director, Martin Scorsese. The studio used this as leverage to offer him a low fee.

Hill jokes about how he would sell his house and give Scorsese all his money to have an opportunity to work with him. He also mentioned that he accepted the offer because it wasn’t about the money but about doing what he cared about.

The actor stated that he wanted to take the role because he had the studio fax him the contract as soon as possible. Hill wanted to sign the agreement before he slept that night and before the studio got the chance to change their minds.

Even with an opportunity like this, Hill didn’t hold back in saying that he hated his character, Donnie, in the movie. He found it challenging to play the character because of how he treated people around him. Hill was nominated for an Oscar Award as best supporting actor for his performance in the film. (Source: BBC)

Interesting Facts on the Movie

According to its lead actor, Leonardo Di Caprio, the film was considered bold, daring, and dangerous. While the movie was fascinating, certain stories behind the scenes were equally interesting. Here are some facts only a few know about the film.

Belfort was Convinced by his Cellmate to Write his Story

When Jordan Belfort served his twenty-two-month sentence at Taft Correctional Institution, he was assigned the same cell as the actor, comedian, and marijuana enthusiast Tommy Chong. The two bonded almost instantly. They exchanged stories of their lives before they were incarcerated.

At the same time, Chong worked on his book and encouraged Belfort to do the same. Belfort initially tried writing a fictional book but was unsuccessful. Chong urged the Wolf to write a story about his life which was more interesting than any fictional characters he could think of.

The Matthew McConaughey Lunch Scene

In the early part of the film, there was a scene where Di Caprio and McConaughey had lunch. Before they were filmed, McConaughey did his ritual in preparation for the scene: beating his chest and humming. According to the actor, the practice helped him relax and helped his voice. Di Caprio noticed it during rehearsals and suggested that Scorsese include it in the film, saying that it helped with the movie’s tone.

The Prop Cocaine

The movie portrays the actors consuming a lot of cocaine. It was, in fact, just crushed vitamin B. It was reported that the cast snorted so much crushed vitamin B that Hill had to be briefly hospitalized after he developed bronchitis.

(Source: Biography)