Sometimes it pays off big- read about Jon Favreau’s gamble and how it paid off in spades.
“Billy Kidd talked to Actor, Director, Producer Jon Favreau in his latest Jack interview. Billy and Jon talk ‘Chef’, ‘Ironman’, and Who’s Hotter: Sofia Vergara or Scarlett Johansson. Give the interview a listen in the audio below.
Jon first spoke on the differences between indie films and studio films, and the pressures associated with them. “There’s always pressure, but the question is “Where is the pressure?” And I prefer the pressure being on that it’s on me and there is nothing to hide behind…but the pressure of of having, for years, dealing with a whole committee of people who have a creative say in what your doing I’m less comfortable with,” Jon said.
The interview then turned to Ironman, and Jon’s decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. ” I remember when we cast Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Ironman’, and I was told no several times…It was my job as a director to show that it was the best choice creatively…and now the Marvel Universe is the biggest franchise in film history.”
“The one thing I think I have a really special ability with is having an eye for other people’s talent, and really being able to see the potential in somebody else, and help cultivate that…I’ve been involved with a lot of careers that have shot up between Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell in ‘Elf’, and Robert Downy was yet another opportunity to see someone’s potential and help support them,” Jon Continued.
“Everybody knew he (Robert Downey Jr.) was talented… Certainly by studying the ‘Ironman’ role and developing that script I realized that the character seemed to line-up with Robert in all the good and bad ways. And the story of ‘Ironman’ was really the story of Robert’s career,” Jon Said.
Adding, “That was a big gamble on whether or not he was really serious about it…and now history has definitely proven that he was dead serious about it and now he is the biggest star in the world.”
Billy and Jon then turned their conversation to Jon’s latest project ‘Chef’. “It’s been spreading throughout the country because audiences seem to dig it. And it’s been selling our theaters, and it’s a film I’m very proud of. It’s kind of my return to independent film.”
On casting Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson Jon said, “It’s a little embarrassing to be honest with you, but I have to say in all the research that I’ve done chefs are really like rock stars… a chef always tend(s) to punch above their weight class when it comets to the opposite sex, because they get through the sensory organs.”
When asked who he thought was hotter Jon with out hesitation said Sofia Vergara. Adding, “I’m not saying that one is more attractive than the other, but if you’re using the hot thing definitely the latio flair and I think also the experience. She’s a bit older I think that always leads to a psychological advantage…to me the brain is the sexiest part if they know how to use that.”.”
Source: CBSLocal