‘I Don’t Have Much Interest In Those Kinds Of Roles’: Billy Bob Thornton Explains Why He Turned Down Playing Villains In Spider-Man And Mission: Impossible III

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As a long-time admirer of Billy Bob Thornton’s diverse acting career, I must say that his decision to turn down iconic roles like The Green Goblin and Owen Davian was a testament to his unique approach to his craft. While it might have been fascinating to see him as these villainous characters, it is equally intriguing to witness the roles he has chosen to take on instead.

As a passionate cinephile, I’ve always admired Billy Bob Thornton’s versatile acting career. However, it’s fascinating to learn that he could have brought two iconic movie villains to life. Interestingly, the actor revealed his decision to decline roles in one of the most acclaimed Spider-Man films and against Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt was driven by pragmatic personal reasons rather than artistic considerations.

Recently, Thornton stepped into the limelight as the lead in a fresh TV series scheduled for 2024, when the premiere of “Landman” took place last month. While currently starring in Taylor Sheridan’s latest Paramount+ series, he shared his reasons behind turning down two legendary film roles. In his own words:

I’m not particularly drawn to those types of acting assignments. With the Green Goblin character, I wasn’t excited about waking up at 4 a.m. for several hours of makeup… And for ‘Mission: Impossible III‘, I didn’t want to be the one attempting to take down Tom Cruise. If you’re the villain in a major film like that, it sticks with viewers for a long time. Instead, I prefer roles that are more flexible and unforeseeable.

To The Playlist, Thornton candidly revealed his reasons for declining the villain roles in the first Tobey Maguire Spider-Man film and Mission: Impossible III. Regarding Spider-Man, he felt unprepared to commit to the extensive preparations required to don the Norman Osborn costume as The Green Goblin. From our perspective, Osborn’s role required wearing a mask and a bulky suit rather than extended time in makeup. Eventually, Willem Dafoe took on the character not only in the initial Spider-Man movie but also through cameos in its sequels. He further reprised the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

In the case of “Mission: Impossible III”, it’s worth noting that Billy Bob Thornton was originally considered for the part of Owen Davian, a role later brilliantly portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Thornton understood that the antagonist in a Mission: Impossible film would be indelibly etched in viewers’ minds, and it seems he wasn’t keen on being associated with that image permanently. To be fair, I can still vividly recall Hoffman’s performance in that role almost two decades later.

Billy Bob Thornton carefully chose some exceptional acting roles, and it seems he’s quite content with his choice. Instead of continuing as an actor, he’s kept us intrigued by venturing into directing and starring in remarkable films such as Monster’s Ball, Bad Santa, Friday Night Lights, and The Astronaut Farmer during the early 2000s.

In his latest show titled “Landman,” Billy Bob Thornton embodies the role of Tommy Norris, a Texan who operates in the oilfields, finding himself entangled in an investigation concerning his business affairs. To stay updated, consider subscribing to Paramount+, and make sure to tune in every Sunday for new installments.

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2024-12-20 06:07