„I Can’t Bear It.” This Sci-Fi Classic Was Critically Acclaimed, but Gary Oldman Still Recalls It Badly
There is one film that Gary Oldman doesn't like. It is a sci-fi masterpiece by Luc Besson, in which the actor played a villain.
Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is considered a cult film. This sci-fi production has been quite successful, earning $263.9 million on a budget of $90 million. It also enjoys the affection of reviewers and viewers, as can be seen on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has very good scores, but there is a person who isn’t fond of the movie. That person is one of its stars, who wasn't afraid to talk about it during an interview.
It's about Gary Oldman, who talked about his reluctance and his reasons for appearing in this production during an interview with Playboy [via AV Club]. The actor didn’t made it clear that he only took part because of the director of this project, to whom he was returning the favor.
Oh no, I can’t bear it. It was me singing for my supper because Luc had come in and partly financed [my film] Nil by Mouth. [Luc] called. He said, ‘I need you to do a movie.’ I didn’t read the script – it was a favor.
Gary Oldman, therefore, has no sentiment for the project, even though it was very successful and is still liked by audiences today. The actor doesn't see it the same way and doesn't think much of his role as Jean-Baptiste Zorg, whom he played in this effects-laden, extravagant work by Besson. And he starred there alongside Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich, among others.
For Gary Oldman, however, it was simply a job he chose to do because he owed it to Besson to get his own project off the ground – the film Nil by Mouth, which he wrote as well as directed. His work was released in the same year as The Fifth Element.
