Don Cheadle says he had two hours to decide if he wanted Marvel role after Terrence Howard was fired after Iron Man
Actor Don Cheadle, who plays War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, has said that he had two hours to decide whether he wanted the part or not. The role was previously played by Terrence Howard in the first Iron Man movie, but the actor was removed from the franchise because of contractual disputes.
Cheadle recalled the story in an interview to the AV Club. He said, “I was actually at my kid’s birthday party—a laser tag party—and I got a call from my agent, and they said, ‘Hey, so I want to connect you to these Marvel guys. They want to talk to you, but they want to offer you the part.’ I don’t think it was (Kevin) Feige. I don’t know who was on the phone. But they said, ‘Hey, this is the role. We want you to do this. It’s … Continue Reading (3 minute read)
The only picture of Don Cheadle they could find for this article is one that prominently Shows Robert Downey Jr and then Don Cheadle’s face barely showing… Was the editor of the article given less than an hour to write and publish?
OK, but iron man has to stop by my kid’s party. And not just a flyover, he has to mingle
He told this story on wait wait don’t tell me
I highly recommend listening to that episode
He was hilarious
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/27/883891777/not-my-job-we-quiz-black-monday-star-don-cheadle-on-black-friday
Who was the backup choice?
I remember mark ruffalo telling a story about when he was in the final stages of being considered for Hulk. They told him that if he got the job, a car would show up at a certain time in the morning to pick him up and he only knew he got it when the car showed up after a sleepless night
A guaranteed pay check for twelve years? Sign me up.
This is up there with [Mark Ruffalo being told to look out his window in the morning to see if a car was there](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYe1-9oLdkI).
Funnily enough both were original choices that got shouted down.
He also is the only non-Asian who spoke Cantonese in a big Hollywood movie that I know of, and therefore has the respect of any HK person whos seen Rush Hour 2.
He then turned them all into trees.
“So I signed the contract, drove up to the studio, dropped it on his desk, and said, ‘Boom! Looking for this?'”
Darcy: They recast Rhodey?
Imaging having 10 minutes to decide a year of your life. Now do that 12 times over.
Cheadle said he took every minute to make that decision as it was early on in the MCU (2009). I’m glad he said yes because he’s great in the role.
“Ah ok, we’ll hold while you ask your kid if they want their dad to be in a Marvel movie.”