Old Old News: Chris Nolan Put in Headlock by David O. Russell

[The Only Woj]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/19/m...58e26412bdf&ex=1253246400&partner=rssuserland

About I Heart Huckabees:

And then Jude Law quits (the explanation Mr. Russell hears is that he needs to make a big-budget movie because of an impending divorce settlement; Mr. Law's representatives deny that money was a factor). Mr. Russell is devastated: instead of doing his movie, Mr. Law has decided to take a role offered by Christopher Nolan ("Memento").

At a Hollywood party, Mr. Russell, a lean, muscular 46-year-old with dark, lanky hair, runs into Mr. Nolan and — in full view of the party guests — puts him in a headlock. Wrapping his arm around Mr. Nolan's neck, Mr. Russell demands that his fellow director show artistic solidarity and give up his star in order to save "Huckabees." (In the meantime, Mr. Russell has met with Jim Carrey as a possible replacement.) The next day Mr. Law calls Mr. Russell from a boat while crossing the Atlantic and discusses his "Huckabees" role at length, never mentioning Mr. Nolan or his project. The headlock story makes the rounds in Hollywood.

crazy ****

 

[Katsuro]

So, it was a serious, mean headlock, and not a joking kind of headlock between friends? That's nuts.

What role was it Nolan offered to Jude Law? How long ago did this happen?

 

[Crooklyn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Qls1rAfYs

I'm not surprised, Nolan prolly crapped his pants if Russel is remotely like he is in the vid.

 

[Katsuro]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Qls1rAfYs

I'm not surprised, Nolan prolly crapped his pants if Russel is remotely like he is in the vid.

Haha, that guy's nuts. I love how he walks off the set in one direction and you can hear him yelling in a distance for a while, then BAM! he pops through a door on the complete other side of the set, still yelling. What a nutjob.

 

[wikum]

well this was in 2003/2004 and law needed money for his divorce, so without doubt the film in question was batman begins. what role was he linked with at that time? joker?

 

[vibeke_T]

why?

 

[wikum]

because that was the film nolan would have been working on next around 2003/4 time.

 

[kenellard]

I'd say crane, given the type of actor he eventually chose, murphy and law are quite alike as performers

 

[$G-mOnEy$]

I actually updated the Wikipedia article on this and did some research on it. Jude Law was set to be in I Heart Huckabees early in development (late 99 thru early 2003). Later on, when Nolan cast Law for a major part in The Prestige/b] just as Huckabees was about to start shooting, Law left the Huckabees project. Russell was so pissed that he put Nolan in a headlock and refused to release it until he released Law from the lead role. The next day Jude Law approached Russell and told him he wanted to come back to doing I Heart Huckabees, and Nolan took Guy Pearce instead.

I Heart Huckabees spent a long time in development before it was shot. Jude Law was NOT up to be in Batman Begins, because at the time of the incident Batman Begins was barely a twinkle in Nolan's eye (I don't even think he'd cast Bale yet)

 

[$G-mOnEy$]

Also, I think this is one of the reasons you shouldn't expect Nolan to be working with Jude Law any time soon. I don't think they'll ever work together because of that incident.

So, ahem, without a doubt the film in question was The Prestige

 

[$G-mOnEy$]

Here's the whole article, with citations. It also talks about when David O. Russell tried to headbutt George Clooney and Clooney decked him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_O._Russell

 

[itsthebatman]

Russell is a nutter.

 

[Showtime]

That Tomlin video his hilarious.

 

[DA Harvey Dent]

Nolan took Guy Pearce instead.

Guy Pearce was in the Prestige?

 

[itsthebatman]

Guy Pearce was in the Prestige?

The film in question was Memento. I :heart: Huckabees was in development for a long time. Click on The Only Woj's link to the original article, and it cites Memento as the film. Which means this incident took place back in 99/00.

 

[Catman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Qls1rAfYs

Insanity!

 

[Showtime]

There is another video of Tomlin flipping out in a car, she is one angry woman.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

George Clooney is suspected to be the one who leaked the clips with Lily Tomlin arguing with David O. Russell.
http://www.filmick.co.uk/2007/03/clooney-campaign-against-david-o.html

 

[Catman]

George Clooney is suspected to be the one who leaked the clips with Lily Tomlin arguing with David O. Russell.
http://www.filmick.co.uk/2007/03/clooney-campaign-against-david-o.html

That Clooney is such a prankster!

 

[$G-mOnEy$]

I could've sworn it was Memento. The reason why I changed it is because the article says it happened in April 2003, which is a detail I missed.

 

[Freedom77]

I could take him...

 

[Prognosticator]

O'Russell is an O'sshole.......and why am I being haunted by Catman's sig in every thread I visit!?

*madness*

WHY!?!?

 

[Drakon]

This is just a single letter from becoming VERY personal.

 

[Calvin]

Is there any footage of the Clooney - O. Russell fist fight on the net?

 

[Catman]

maybe!