DepressedBergman@DannyDrinksWine
Roman Polanski on why he took the lead role in "The Tenant" (1976) & the movie role that was offered to him by Steven Spielberg:
"Interviewer: What inspired you to play the lead in The Tenant?
Polanski: At that point I was working with Paramount and they had the rights to the Roland Topor novel. I thought it would be a good role for me. As a matter of fact, I found it more interesting to play the part than to direct the film. I find this with a lot of scripts, and it’s actually rare that both things appeal to me at the same time. You shouldn’t forget that I started as an actor and only became a director later.
Interviewer: Have there been parts in films made by other directors you would have liked to play?
Polanski: Yes, there were a few. I get a lot of these kinds of offers but I won’t name the films. Sometimes I use my other commitments as an excuse because I’m scared to work with people I don’t know. I also feel that life is too short for me to throw myself into projects that aren’t my own. But I will tell you about one part that was offered to me.
A long time ago Steven Spielberg offered me a role in his first Indiana Jones film as the Nazi officer, the one who burns his hand. Unfortunately I was busy and couldn’t make it to Tunisia, the place where the film was shot, which was a shame because I would have found out just how chaotic it is to shoot there. A few years later I ended up filming Pirates in Tunisia.
Interviewer: Would you have accepted the role?
Polanski: I really wanted to work with Steven Spielberg."
(Roman Polanski's interview with Gerhard Midding, 1990)
P.S: On this day, 50 years ago, "The Tenant" (1976) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, France.
