Actor Joe Pesci and director Martin Scorsese have frequently collaborated over the years, however, things got heated up between the two when Pesci demanded to play a different role in 1990’s Goodfellas. Scorsese initially offered Pesci the role of Paul “Paulie” Cicero but the actor was interested in playing Tommy DeVito. Scorsese was not having it as Pesci was in his 40s back then and the role was fit for someone in their 20s.
Eventually, Pesci was able to convince Scorsese with the help of Mike Westmore. In the end, Pesci gave an outstanding performance as Tommy DeVito, a character that was based on Thomas DeSimone.
Joe Pesci and Martin Scorsese got into an argument after Pesci refused to play a role
In a past interview, actor Joe Pesci recalled the time he and director Martin Scorsese got into an argument after the director asked Pesci to play a role suitable for his age in 1990’s Goodfellas (via YouTube),
“The original thing was that I was supposed to play that part and then Scorsese called me one day and he said they were thinking of having the actors younger in certain areas and he said he thought I would be too old to make that. He said I might have to play the older gangster in the movie and I said, ‘But I don’t wanna play that part,’ and he said, ‘Well, that’s it, I might have to do this,’ I said, ‘But I don’t wanna play that part,’ and he cursed at me and hung up. I called back and cursed at him, and then, I waited, then I was sorry.”
Joe Pesci was asked to play the role of Paul “Paulie” Cicero but he was firm on playing Tommy DeVito. The actor then came up with the idea of using makeup.
Joe Pesci was able to convince Martin Scorsese
Further in the interview, Joe Pesci explained how he was able to convince Scorsese with the help of Mike Westmore. Using makeup and lifts, Pesci showed Scorsese that he was perfect for the role,
“I called him back, and I said, ‘C’mon Marty, can’t we work this out? There’s gotta be a way, I mean this is Hollywood, you know, you can make me young.’ What I did was, I went to Mike Westmore, who does all the makeup stuff for the Star Trek series and he gave me lifts and I put a wig on, you know, to show him I could play the part younger. Then we flew to New York and I played the tape for him and I said, ‘What do you think?’ and he says, ‘Well, it doesn’t look like you when this thing is pulling,’ and I said, ‘Marty, this is working, if you don’t use this.'”
The role of Paul “Paulie” Cicero then went to actor Paul Sorvino and Pesci played Tommy DeVito in the movie, earning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work. Apart from Goodfellas, Pesci has worked with Scorsese in Raging Bull (1980), Casino (1995), and The Irishman (2019).
