David Schwimmer on Why He Turned Down Role in 'Men in Black'

David Schwimmer Doesn't Regret Turning Down Men in BlackHowever, he acknowledges that his “career would have taken a very different trajectory” had he starred in the 1997 film.

When asked on a recent episode of Origins with Cush Jumbo podcast if he had given up on the successful franchise due to conflicts with his Friends shooting schedule, the actor replied: “That's not why I turned it down.” He instead chose to direct his first feature film.

“[It] “It was a brutal decision,” Schwimmer admitted. “I had just finished shooting The pallbearermy first film with Gwyneth Paltrow, and there were great expectations that did not come true (Laughter). It was kind of a flop, but there were high expectations and the studio, Miramax, wanted to commit me to a three-picture deal at a fixed price and I said I would do it if I could direct my first picture.”

THE Intelligence The actor said that after months of negotiations, they agreed that he would “act in three more movies for them” if they would let him “lead the entire theater company in the first movie,” in 1998. Since you leftThe film centers on a ten-year class reunion, but is told through the eyes of a doctor who was humiliated on graduation day by being savagely beaten by a fellow graduate.

“All these unknown actors, but I basically wanted to put them on the map. I wanted to introduce everyone to the talent of this amazing company,” Schwimmer explained. “We found this amazing script and we were developing it. We started pre-production. All my best friends in the world in my theater company quit their jobs so they could be in this movie over the summer, which was going to be a six-week shoot in Chicago.”

However, his production for his directorial debut ended up overlapping with Men in Black resumed, leading Schwimmer to make a difficult decision about his career.

“We were in pre-production, we hired the whole crew, everything was going well and that's when I was offered Men in Black,” THE Six days seven nights recalled the actor. “It was a direct conflict with that. My summer window from Friends it was four months. I had a four month break and Men in Black was about to shoot exactly when I was supposed to direct this film with my company. And of course, it was an incredible opportunity. … However, my theater company and that relationship with all those people would probably have ended. I don't think they would have recovered.”

While Schwimmer said he doesn't know if he “made the right choice,” he is adamant that “you have to follow your gut and your heart” in these situations.

“Look, I'm really aware, whatever happens 20 years later, maybe more, [Men in Black] would have made me a movie star,” he added. “If you look at the success of that movie and that franchise, my career would have taken a very different trajectory.”

THE Men in Black The franchise eventually featured Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in the lead roles.

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