I don't get it, Why did George decide to cast Samuel L. Jackson?

"There was criticism of ANH at the time due to there being no black leads or supporting characters, and Darth Vader being voiced by a black guy (James Earl Jones)."

My thoughts exactly. Just watch Chasing Amy, made by the great Kevin Smith. Theres a great scene in there regarding that topic.

 

Don't forget James Earl Jones and Billy Dee Williams.

And don't forget the appearances made by the legendary Jeremy Bullock.

 

Don't want to go off-subject here, but does anybody here think that Morgan Freeman would have been a good Mace Windu?

 

That would have been kinda interesting. But since i've already seen TPM and ATOC and thinking about it now, I wouldn't have liked him in that role...

 

I seem to remember this coming up a couple of years ago, and some suggested that Laurence Fishburne would have made a great Mace Windu, if he already hadn't played Morpheus from the Matrix...

 

Oh come on! SLJ is a great Mace Windu!

[image=http://www.sgtfretsurfer.com/Grilled-Sarlacc/c/mace/toymace.jpg]

 

Sam Jackson is awsome, he added attitude to the Jedi Council

 

Morgan Freeman would have made a good TPM Mace, but I can't see him as the fighting Mace we see in AOTC.

Fishburne, eh. He's a good actor, but SLJ's better.

I think people just suggested Fishburne 'cause he's a bald black guy too



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Oh come on! SLJ is a great Mace Windu!

Yeah, but how to get that action figure into the movie.

 

I don't mind if the action figure's in the movie.

This, on the other hand, scares me.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

lol

Actually, I kinda picture that as his expression for when he dies.

 

The only thing I wish Mace did in the movie was have maybe a shot of him surveying the battlefield and seeing all the dead Jedi, with a look of sadness and disappointment on his face.

 

I think Mace has been used perfectly

i just hope he's in Episode 3 as much as he was in AOTC

 

[image=http://yodawars.com//macedaddy.jpg]

Mortimer_Nerdly!

 

Basically, when an actor like Samuel Jackson asks to be in your movie, you find a role for him.

 

According to the Art of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the character Mace Windu was just gonna be some Jedi on the Council while the character of Eeth Koth was gonna sit where Mace ended up being. Now I understand and agree with having whipped up a role for Sam Jackson since he was so unbelievably eager to be in the movie somewhere. But sometimes I wonder why Sam wasn't just put in make up to be Eeth Koth instead of making the switch between Eeth and Mace in terms of which character would be a background Jedi and which would have a speaking roll.

 

Lucas' choice to give in to Jackson's lobbying is acceptable. Any reason to hire talent that expresses enthusiasm for the project is always a positive.

Unfortunately, because of the fact that Lucas hired a "big name", the audience was expecting a more pivotal role from Jackson - especially in TPM. Instead, the naysayers tend to use this as evidence of Lucas' inability to properly tell a saga and think that Windu's a wasted character relegated to having his thumb rammed up his butt with nothing to do.

What these "critics" don't realize is that the PT is being told over three episodes - not one.

 

Good post LucasCop.

I was among those people who really thought SLJ would have a big role in TPM. Heck, I assumed that he and Liam Neeson (I didn't know character names for a while) were gonna be the two stars, with Obi-Wan and Anakin sort of tagging along where needed.

The media made a big point of saying SLJ was in the movie, and I believed it, and was confused and a little disappointed.

That's not Lucas' fault.
That's partially the media's fault.
That's mostly my fault.

Now I am a little older and more skeptical about what I read! No more "It's on the Internet, it must be true" for me!


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Lucas has said that Sam being a well known actor almost cost him the part. BUt actually, I think TPM, AOTC, and Pulp Fiction are the only movies in which I saw the CHARACTER and NOT Samuel L. Jackson. When I look at movies like XXX and 187, I see Samuel L. Jackson. When I see the prequels, I see Mace Windu. And dont forget that the OT didnt use ALL unknown actors. Werent Guiness and Cushing considered to be pretty well known at the time? Atleast in Europe?

Well said. I'll let this paraphrase my thoughts.

 

What do you mean, 'Why was SLJ casted'? What are you, a casting director?

Watch EPII again, maybe that will refresh you. Ditto Jimmy Smits.

BTW, Nerdly's pic, LMFAO!!!!

 

What are you, a casting director?

And if you are, can I sleep with you to get a better acting job?



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

LOL!!!

 

Unfortunately, because of the fact that Lucas hired a "big name", the audience was expecting a more pivotal role from Jackson -LucasCop

So very true.

What these "critics" don't realize is that the PT is being told over three episodes - not one. -LucasCop

Are you suggesting a much larger role for SLJ in Episode III?


-Cantina