‘I Would’ve Put Money That You Wouldn’t Do This’: Rebel Ridge’s Don Johnson Explains How His TV Legacy Has Made Him A Wild Card To Directors

‘I Would've Put Money That You Wouldn't Do This’: Rebel Ridge’s Don Johnson Explains How His TV Legacy Has Made Him A Wild Card To Directors

As a longtime fan who’s followed Don Johnson‘s career since the ’70s, I’ve got to say, the man is a true chameleon. From James Crockett to Nash Bridges, and now to Chief Sandy Burnne, he’s proven time and again that he can bring any character to life with his captivating charm and raw talent.


Since 1970, Don Johnson has had a lengthy acting career spanning over five decades, however, he is most renowned for portraying valiant law enforcement characters. Many viewers have immersed themselves in his exploits as Detective James Crockett in the popular show Miami Vice, and Inspector Nash Bridges in the series named after his character. This has left a distinctive mark on pop culture.

It’s striking how he has taken on roles as adversarial law enforcement officials in more recent projects, such as HBO’s series “Watchmen” and Jeremy Saulnier’s latest film “Rebel Ridge”. This shift has not only caught viewers off guard but also the directors who chose him for these parts.

In late last month, I had a chat with Don Johnson during the online press event for the series “Rebel Ridge” (now streaming on Netflix). I began our discussion by pointing out the difference between his iconic TV characters and his role as Chief Sandy Burnne. Despite being well-known in the industry, Johnson mentioned that producers are surprised when he agrees to take on roles they offer him. In his own words:

It seems many filmmakers are eager to collaborate with me, and they often express shock when I agree to roles that aren’t typically associated with my image. They’re consistently taken aback by this. Each director has told me something along the lines of, “I would’ve bet you wouldn’t take on this project.

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As a gaming enthusiast, I recently immersed myself in the captivating world of “Rebel Ridge”. The ending was a breath of fresh air, deviating from the typical action movie tropes. If you’re craving more stories that push boundaries like Rebel Ridge, here are 12 movies you should definitely check out:

In the movie “Rebel Ridge“, Chief Sandy Burnne plays the main villain. Over the course of the film, it’s revealed that he has set up a lucrative system in the small Louisiana town of Shelby Springs, taking advantage of ambiguous and intricate civil forfeiture laws to fill his police station with cash and weapons. When former Marine Terry Richmond (played by Aaron Pierre) arrives in town intending to secure bail for his imprisoned cousin, Burnne and his officers attempt to exploit their usual legal loophole, but they underestimate just how dangerous a target Richmond turns out to be.

Regarding Sandy Burnne’s connection to Don Johnson’s roles as James Crockett and Nash Bridges, he has emphasized that his focus lies on the future and exploring fresh possibilities. In our conversation, he expressed this by stating that he views himself as versatile with a wide range of abilities.

I appreciate diversity and enjoy tackling new challenges, and I find delight in exploring roles I haven’t played before. Fortunately, I have a rich background of portraying various characters, and I’ve always viewed myself as adaptable, able to seamlessly transition from one character to another, much like a chameleon changes colors.

Don Johnson certainly gives a great performance in the critically acclaimed Rebel Ridge, which is one of the best original movies available to stream on Netflix right now – the film’s supporting cast including AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen, and Zsané Jhé. Audiences will next be able to see him starring in Doctor Odyssey, the new Ryan Murphy-produced series set to premiere on ABC next Thursday, September 26.

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2024-09-19 03:07