It’s hard to believe that people would pass on being a part of Ocean’s Eleven with George Clooney at the helm as a star. But they did. And Clooney has a memory that holds those names close by.
Steven Soderbergh directed the 2001 comedy. It is one of the director’s most star-studded movies. The cast, besides Clooney, did have Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle, and others in it. Still, Mark Wahlberg and Johnny Depp turned down a chance to be in the film. Clooney recently confirmed this during a conversation with Soderbergh at the TCM Film Festival, via Entertainment Weekly.
“Steven had just done ‘Erin Brockovich’ and ‘Traffic,’ and he was nominated for [an Oscar for] directing both films,” Clooney said. “So, people really wanted to work with Steven.”
“That said, some people did say no to us,” Soderbergh added.
George Clooney Says That Mark Wahlberg Told Him To ‘F**k Right Off’ About Movie Role
“They did,” Clooney said. “Some very famous people told us to f**k right off. Mark Wahlberg, Johnny Depp. There were others. They regret it now. I regret doing f**king Batman.”
Elsewhere during their TCM Film Festival conversation, Clooney remembered how they got mega-star Roberts to sign on to play his character’s ex-wife. “We sent Julia a script and I wrote a note saying, ‘I hear you get 20 [million dollars] a picture now,'” Clooney said. “And we sent her a $20 bill…It made her laugh, and yes, she jumped right on board.”
‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Grossed $450 Million Worldwide At The Box Office
Ocean’s Eleven earned critical acclaim and grossed $450 million at the worldwide box office. The film spawned a franchise that led to two sequels with the original cast, 2004’s Ocean’s Twelve and 2007’s Ocean’s Thirteen, plus a female-fronted spinoff with 2018’s Ocean’s 8 starring Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett, Variety reports.
Warner Bros. is currently developing a reboot of the Ocean’s franchise with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling attached to star. Robbie is set to produce the film under her LuckyChap banner with Tom Ackerley and Michelle Graham. Gary Ross, Olivia Milch and LuckyChap’s Josey McNamara will executive produce. Village Roadshow is also involved in the project in an executive producer capacity.
Meanwhile, in more Mark Wahlberg news, he recently stopped off where he had his first job. It happened to be at a grocery store. He made a stop at a place in Massachusetts called Stop & Shop.
“I was working at this Stop and Shop on Newport Ave. in Quincy, but it was over there, they moved the store,” Wahlberg said. “I was bagging groceries, $3.65 an hour while I was right up the street, getting my driver’s ed.”
