Quentin Tarantino Brings Kurt Russell Back For DJANGO UNCHAINED!
In his first screen role since crazy Stuntman Mike in Death Proof five years ago, Kurt Russell will play the ruthless henchman Ace Woody in Tarantino's black slavery Western!
As you all know my personal choice to replace the exited Kevin Costner as Ace Woody in Django Unchained was Woody Harrelson (it was in his name after all!) but Quentin Tarantino has instead picked a choice I said would work really well, and that's Kurt Russell. (in an ounce of irony I also said the All American Russell was the perfect choice to play Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel but Zack Snyder went with Costner instead). Anywho, this is the second time Tarantino has turned to Russell when his first choice hadn't worked out for one of his films. Mickey Rourke was originally cast as the crazy Stuntman Mike in Death Proof but just as filming was to begin, Tarantino fired him when they couldn't see eye-to-eye. Russell quickly came in and Tarantino used him like no director had since the John Carpenter days and it's one of his career best turns. Russell eats up the screen and delivers Tarantino dialogue like no other. Five years on for Death Proof and with no other screen credits to his name since, Tarantino wants Russell to do the same as Ace Woody, the powerful henchman of the villain Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) in his black-slavery western. Woody is an outright bastard, a mandingo-trainer who has no heart and if you thought Stuntman Mike was bad, wait until you meet this guy! The Wrap confirms that The Weinstein Company are in talks with Russell and it should be a formality from here. Additional casting news for the film has come in from The Hollywood Reporter who says Laura Cayouette (who played the stripper Rocket in Kill Bill Vol. 2) will play Candie's sister, Lara-Lee. Tarantino is aggressively casting the supporting roles of his film as he gears up to shoot at the turn of the year. Oscar winner Jamie Foxx leads as the black slave who is freed, trained under the tutelage of Christoph Waltzs eccentric former dentist turned bounty hunter, and then becomes an all out Clint Eastwood style gunslinger, hellbent on saving his bride who is enslaved by Leonardo DiCaprios evil plantation owner. Samuel L. Jackson is DiCaprios right-hand man Stephen and we now know Russell is the ruthless henchman to DiCaprio, Ace Woody. Forgotten 80's thesps Gerald McRaney and Dennis Christopher have supporting roles (ironically they both got a mini career revival on HBO's Deadwood) and The Wire's Michael K. Williams claims Tarantino is 'creating' a role for him in the picture. There are other roles still to be cast, most notably that of Broomhilda, the wife of Django. Kerry Washington was who I thought was perfect for it having read the script and its said Tarantino agreed as she was an early contender but it doesnt look like that casting is going to happen, rumoured to be because of the excessive nudity the role requires. All the loose ends should be tied up soon however as the film will begin shooting in January in New Orleans and will be in theatres Christmas Day next year.