I love hearing stories where casting has a particular role to play in fate: an actor misses out on the opportunity to take on a part, but little do they know, losing that gig ends up being the best thing that could have happened. They are tales that serve as optimism fuel and give you hope that the bad things in life can ultimately take a turn for the good. Take, for example, Pamela Anderson's weird little journey with the Naked Gun franchise.
In the upcoming Naked Gun legacyquel starring Liam Neeson, Anderson plays the female lead – which very well may not have happened had events played out differently over 30 years ago. The actress recently told Empire that she was originally up for a supporting role in 1994's Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, but things didn't work out... and in retrospect, she is glad they didn't. Said Anderson,
The part that Anna Nicole [Smith] played, I almost played. It was just scheduling. I couldn’t do it. But it’s good: I’d rather play this role.
Those who have seen Naked Gun 33 1/3 will remember that Anna Nicole Smith played Tanya Peters, the girlfriend of the villain played by Fred Ward's Rocco Dillon. The character's part is relatively small, as she is pretty much relegated to being a sexpot punchline. It seems fair to assume that the upcoming sequel will give Pamela Anderson a lot more to do.
Very little is actually known about the plot of The Naked Gun, as the trailers that we've seen thus far have mostly been focused on showcasing the movie's comedic sensibilities (harkening back to the extreme goofiness of the original trilogy) and firm establishment within the canon of the franchise. At the very least, big laughs are expected, as the material certainly got a rise out of the performers on set. Pamela Anderson says that director Akiva Schaffer delighted in all of the weird improv lines he got to toss out while shooting scenes, saying,
Some of the things they made us say, I mean, it was just crazy stuff. Akiva would say, ‘Oh my God, this is so fun. Look what I can make these people do.’
We'll have to wait and see how the movie turns out, but as far as overall quality is concerned, Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult should be a bar that is very easy to step over.
In addition to Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, The Naked Gun also stars Paul Walter Hauser, Moses Jones, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Cody Rhodes, Busta Rhymes and CCH Pounder. It's a film that has been in various forms of development for over a decade, but it's now finally ready for the big screen and will be arriving in theaters everywhere on August 1.
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