20 Things You Didn't Know About Jackie Brown
18. Robert De Niro Originally Wanted Another Role
Continuing his tradition of having more power than anyone else in Hollywood, Tarantino said no to Robert De Niro.
The actor had gotten a copy of the script and immediately was interested in the Max Cherry role. It's no surprise, the role is a plumb part for any aging actor and De Niro was of the age where he'd fit the role. But it would have been a very different movie. Both actors are not afraid to display immense vulnerability but in drastically different ways.
Ultimately, Tarantino convinced De Niro to take a role that was largely against type: that of Louis Gara, Ordell Robbie's vaguely clueless former cellmate. Forster went on to add in clever layers to the Cherry character - he was clearly the role everyone was interested in, which is quite a feat considering Pam Grier's placement in the film.
It was Forster that added in the scene in which Jackie and Max discuss how he had his hair done to make him look younger is taken directly from Forster's own mid-life crisis.