Don Cheadle is well known for his role as James Rhodes or War Machine in the Marvel movie series. But aside from working in the massive franchise, he also supported and led roles since the mid-90s. But did you know he chose to be uncredited in Ocean’s 11?
Don Cheadle, who played the role of Basher Tarr in the movie Ocean’s 11, was uncredited for his performance. This was due to a title billing dispute. When production didn’t agree with his terms, he refused to be credited at all.
Who is Don Cheadle?
Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 29, 1964. His mother was a teacher, while his father worked as a clinical psychologist. He attended the Hartley Elementary School in Nebraska and graduated from East High School in Denver, Colorado. During his high school days, he played the saxophone and was quite active in the theater department. He graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with a bachelors’ degree in fine arts.
Cheadle started his career in the 1985 comedy Moving Violations. Two years later, he received a role in the series Hill Street Blues. In the same year, he appeared on Hamburger Hill and Night Court Cheadle acquired several roles in various films. He was nominated for the Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of Paul Rusesabagina in Hotel Rwanda.
By 2010 he replaced Terrence Howard as James Rhodes (War Machine) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While this may have been one of his popular roles, it was definitely not the biggest. (Source: IMDB)
What Happened in Ocean’s 11?
The Ocean’s 11 story follows Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan, played by George Clooney and Brad Pitt, respectively, as they carry out a very elaborate heist. As the story goes, the two lead actors recruited 9 other people to help with the mission to steal $160 million. You may not know that Don Cheadle, who played the role of Basher Tarr, was not credited for his job in the movie.
While he may not be the lead in the film, his character was definitely one of the main supporting roles. Cheadle felt that the production owed him the same perks as Pitt, Damon, and Clooney. He wanted above-the-title billing alongside the lead actors. When the production team refused to do so, Cheadle did not want to be credited at all. (Source: What Culture)
Was This the First Time Cheadle Went Uncredited?
The funny thing is, this is not the first time Cheadle did not want to be credited for a role. In Rush Hour 2, Brett Ratner offered a role to Cheadle. He was to play as the owner of a Chinese soul food restaurant. Cheadle had conditions for this cameo; he was left uncredited, his character spoke only Chinese, and he got to fight Jackie Chan. (Source: LA Times)
What Does Cheadle Do Today?
Cheadle is very active in the film industry as an actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He currently has work in post-production and is filming three other TV series due to be released in 2022. He also confirmed that he would be part of the new generation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (Source: IMDB)