Guy Pearce has revealed that the reason he hasn’t worked with Christopher Nolan since the 2000 film Memento was because he was repeatedly prevented from working with Warner Bros. executives who didn’t like his performance.
Pearce said in an interview with Vanity Fair that he hasn’t worked with Nolan since he first worked with Warner Bros. on the 2002 thriller Insomnia. 2020 movie “Tenet”.
Mr. Pearce was approached by Mr. Nolan about playing Ra’s al Ghul in the 2005 film “Batman Begins” (which would eventually be played by Liam Neeson) and the character in the 2006 film “The Prestige.” He said that he was approached to appear as a director.
“He approached me about the role several times over the years,” the 57-year-old actor said. “The Original Batman and The Prestige. But there was an executive at Warner Bros. who openly told my agent, “I don’t understand Guy Pearce.” I’m not going to get Guy Pearce. I would never hire Guy Pearce. ”
“So, in a way, it was nice to know that. To be fair, there are some actors that I don’t understand. But it’s something that I don’t get to work with Chris. I meant that.”
Pearce said the anonymous executive “didn’t believe in me as an actor”, which meant he passed up the role.
“I was flown to London to discuss the role of Liam Neeson, and I think it was decided on the plane that I wasn’t going to be in the movie,” Pearce said. “So I get there and Chris says, ‘Do you want to see the Batmobile or do you want to have dinner?’
Warner Bros. did not respond to Vanity Fair’s request for comment.
Pierce and Nolan may work together again. The director ended his relationship with Warner Bros., citing disagreements over the company’s decision to release the film simultaneously in theaters and on the streaming service HBO Max, but is still attached to the 2023 historical drama Oppenheimer. It was a fate I did not wish for. He moved to Universal Pictures, and Oppenheimer won seven Oscars, including Nolan’s Best Director award.
“So now it’s my turn!” Pierce told Vanity Fair.
Nolan is back at Universal working on an as-yet-untitled film scheduled for release in 2026, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Charlize Theron and Anne Hathaway.
