Burt Reynolds continued his media tour for The Last Movie Star on Watch What Happens Live yesterday and he continued to shock us all. For the after show, someone asked him what was the weirdest piece of fan mail he got after he did a naked centerfold for Cosmo.
He revealed, “I was sent pubic hair…and it was very nice.” What did he do with his present that came wrapped in wax paper? He says, “I have it on my wall.” That has to be a conversation piece.
And talking about conversation pieces, Andy Cohen asked him about several of the roles he turned down throughout his career. The first role they talked about was Michael Corleone in The Godfather. Marlon Brando threatened to quit if he got the part that went to Al Pacino. Next up, he turned down James Bond because he did not think an American should play the spy. He regrets that stance. Did you know he was offered Richard Gere’s part in Pretty Woman? How does he feel about turning that one down? He simply said, “I am an idiot.”
The next role he was willing to kill for, but he could not out drink it or out smoke Jack Nicholson. Therefore, Jack remained the star of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Jack also got another Oscar for a role that Burt does not remember turning down and that was Terms of Endearment.
It gets worse, imagine him as Han Solo. He turned that one down because he does not like Science Fiction movies. Let’s be honest it would have been too much mustache gorgeousness if both Billy Dee Williams and him were in the film.
And then there was one more. One that made Angela Bassete say, “Stop!” Then she added, “It’s amazing he had a career.” That movie was Die Hard. Although, he does not remember turning that role.
Burt some good choices in career and made a lot of stupid ones too. See all of the above.
Burt Reynolds was on Today this morning to talk about his film The Last Movie Star. The sex symbol told her that watching this movie is very emotional for him because it is stuff that he is going through now. Stuff like people telling the 82-year-old to retire and get out of the business. Even though he said that, he is still happy he did this movie.
Then Hoda Kotb wanted to know if they made a movie about the movie star, who would he want to play him. Without hesitation, he told her George Clooney. Why is the guy? He said, “Well, why not?…Not as good looking but he still has a lot of other things.”
Even though Clooney does not look like the legend, he does have that suaveness and sexiness that Reynolds used to have. I say used to have, and this is hard for me to say, but that was a very uncomfortable interview to watch. Hats off to Kotb for handling it so well, but you felt for bad for her having to go through that chat with him. Especially at the end when he said to her, I am so happy for you for not having the lips larger.” What does that mean? So weird and sad to watch. But again admirable for her to handling with such class. It is why she deserves the promotion that she recently got at Today.
Remember a few years ago when Ariel Winter shot a movie with Burt Reynolds? Well that film, The Last Movie Star, finally got a trailer. It is really going to bring them in for the matinee shows starting on March 28th. As in, it is a good feature for the older audiences. Them and me because I actually want to see it. It is a good film to watch on a rainy day.
Back in the ’70s, Burt Reynolds was considered one of the sexiest men alive. So sexy, that he was offered one of the sexiest roles a man could play. Al Roker asked him on Today today if it is true that he was offered the starring role in James Bond. The bandit told him, “It’s true. I hate, to say that, because it lowers my IQ about 50 points.” Why did he turn down the opportunity to play the part that most actors would give their left nut to play? The actor told him, “I thought no American could possibly play Bond.”
You know what, he is right. But still, it is crazy that he turned it down. Could you imagine him at the international spy?
In you case you were wondering when he said no, it was around 1970 after George Lazenby’s one and done try at it. Sean Connery came back to the reprise the role until he retired from it one more time and then Roger Moore started drinking the martini and seducing women.
When we think of Sally Field, we think of one of the greatest actress of all time. But in the mid-’70s, she was seen as America’s Sweetheart because she was known as Gidget and The Flying Nun.
It was those roles, that made the producers of Smokey and the Bandit think she was wrong for the part when Burt Reynolds suggested her. He told Closer the producers said, “I was told she was not sexy — she was the Flying Nun,” adding, “I told [the Smokey producers], ‘Trust me, talent is sexy. She is talented and sexy.'” And boy is she talented. She is even more talented aka sexy today, 40 years later. That is why we like her, we really, really like her.
