Tarantino confirms Adam Sandler was top choice for Inglourious Basterds
Tarantino finally went on record saying he wrote the role of Sergeant Donny 'The Bear Jew' Donowitz for Sandler
Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino confirmed a long-standing rumour regarding Adam Sandler and Inglourious Basterds during his latest appearance on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast.
Joined by host Maher and co-interviewee Judd Apatow, Tarantino finally went on record saying he wrote the role of Sergeant Donny 'The Bear Jew' Donowitz for Sandler, reports Variety.
Apatow had already locked Sandler into filming Funny People, which, however, means that Tarantino's Sandler dream never got realised."(Judd and I) met each other through Adam Sandler during the time that I did Little Nicky," said Tarantino, referring to his cameo in Sandler's 2000 comedy.
"I was like hanging out with that crew for a while. We went to a bunch of different things together. But also Freaks and Geeks had just gone off the air or it was on its way to going off the air and I had missed it, but that whole Happy Madison crowd was like crazy for it."
"I feel bad because when I did Funny People with Sandler, I wasn't aware that that was the exact time you were trying to use him for Inglorious Basterds," Apatow cut in.
"Obviously he should've done yours because of the whole thing of it," Tarantino replied. "I mean, you start with the f****** video cassette of you guys as kids. But yeah, I wrote the Bear Jew for Adam Sandler."
"When I was doing Little Nicky, he's telling me like, 'Oh man, I get to fucking beat up Nazis with a bat? Fucking script! Fucking awesome! I can't fucking wait! I can't fucking wait!' He was like telling every Jewish guy, 'I'm going to fucking play this guy who beats up Nazis with a fucking bat.'"
Tarantino and Apatow were looking to film their movies at the same time, and Apatow already got Sandler to agree to star in 'Funny People' a year and a half before the start of production.
Sandler wouldn't be able to star in 'Inglourious Basterds', but finding a replacement wasn't so easy for Tarantino.
"Here's the problem. [Judd] wrapped up all the good Jews (for 'Funny People')," Tarantino said. "That was the problem. Seth Rogen and all the good Jews were doing 'Funny People.' I'm killing Hitler with baseball bats and there's no good Jews available! David Krumholtz, nobody! All the good Jews were all wrapped up! I'm doing the Jewish male fantasy!"
