10 Actors Who Need Quentin Tarantino To Save Their Careers

6. Jean Reno

06 reno Juan Moreno y Herrera Jiménez, known to most as Jean Reno, comes as a candidate with credentials. Having worked in Japanese, Spanish, Italian, English & French, the protagonist in Luc Besson€™s €˜Léon: The Professional (1994)€™ €“ which was also the feature film debut for the then 12-year old Natalie Portman €“ is known for appearing as psychotic characters with flair and a good heart (sometimes shadowed by pride). Victor the cleaner in Nikita (1990) and the calm assassin €˜Leon€™, remain classic titles in his career, however €“ being talented as he is €“ he broke out from the villain image and has so far played roles varying from action heroes to romantic-comedy leads. He even lent his voice to the character, Jacques Blanc in Capcom€™s Onimusha 3.

Over the years, the former Cours Simon student has established himself as a brand of his own, known to bring intelligence and €˜straight to the point€™ solutions to €“ generally €“ compelling storylines (Les Rivières Pourpres, Ronin, Gozilla and many more), Reno has been on set with the likes of Matthew Broderick, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne, Milo Ventimiglia and Rosanna Arquette - concretely showcasing his class as a fine actor. However, pride also seems to follow the established actor. Jean Reno was approached for a role in Inglourious Basterds which he turned down. The rationality of such a decision might be questioned when many would €˜kill€™ to feature in a Tarantino production. Yet, Reno€™s demand and status internationally allows him such choices. On the reason he refused, the actor said: €œRoles as disgusting characters? No thanks! The role of a Frenchman who betrays a Jewish family in the opening scene of Tarantino€™s latest (Inglourious Basterds). Playing the caricature of the American€™s perception of the dirty Frenchman. It was too Manichean. I said no€. (Translated / From L€™Optimum via News De Stars)

QT€™s pick proves that Jean Reno was deemed worthy enough to feature in his project, and the failure to land his signature was due to the storyline. This leads to rationally conclude that Reno might still be called upon for a role that works with his philosophy and beliefs €“ of course €“ unless Tarantino is the sensitive type when it comes to being turned down.

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Danny is a consultant, writer & journalist from London into what he describes as a "little bit of everything". He has been into literature, photography & the arts since his teenage years, and has also ended up fluent in French after just over a decade of exposure to the Anglo-French culture of L'Île Maurice. He has an avid interest in psychology, neuroscience, the arts, and his city, London. To find out more about his writings, artwork and other updates, please feel free to visit his website (dpurb.com) or follow him on Twitter (@DannyDPurb)