Adam Driver has recently made his name for playing two primary Italian personalities back-to-back. The actor was quite surprised to find this becoming a matter of great debate among the journalists. According to the actor, all that mattered to him was the presence of some of the elite filmmakers, Ridley Scott and Michael Mann, who were behind these projects, not the nature of the role.
Adam Driver garnered immense praise after starring in the House of Gucci and recently, Ferrari. His role as Maurizio Gucci and Enzo Ferrari drew terrific responses from the critics and the audience. However, the former Star Wars actor notes that he should have been more strategic in planning his slate, as the back-to-back Italian roles have raised much debate.
What pushed Adam Driver to sign two back-to-back Italian roles?
It cannot be denied that the Kylo Ren actor has made his name for working with auteur filmmakers in recent times. Besides working with some of the most renowned talents in the industry, he has also been subjected to several prestigious accolades over the years. Soon after starring as Maurizio Gucci in the Ridley Scott ensemble, the actor was recently spotted in the Michael Mann flick.
If Adam Driver is to be believed, the filmmakers mattered to him more than the Italian background of the characters. The Star Wars actor added that nobody cares about the roles if one gets to work with talents like Ridley Scott and Michael Mann. Talking on the Smartless podcast (via The Wrap), the actor said-
“But I’m like, you know, it’s Ridley and it’s Michael and they’re in my mind some of the best filmmakers. Who gives a sh*t that it was two Italians back to back?”
The 40-year-old added that playing Gucci and Ferrari back-to-back was not a strategic move on his part. He continued that he had been warned repeatedly by many- “So many people have been like, ‘How many Italians — ?’ I’m like, it’s just kind of worked out that way.” However, Adam Driver also said that someone from his PR team should have warned him that “it’s going to come up a lot.”
Adam Driver repeatedly highlighted that it was more about the filmmakers he thought about. He was shocked that the media was more interested in the “thing” he had for doing two prominent Italian roles. Driver joked that he is yet to play another important Italian-Gaspare Campari.
Also Read: Adam Driver is Not the Only Actor Who Fans May Never See in a Star Wars Movie in the Future
Did Michael Mann cast Adam Driver in Heat 2?
Heat is regarded as one of the most revered crime dramas directed by Michael Mann. The director announced that the sequel to the 1995 movie will be his next flick. The previous film featured an incredible cast of Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, and Al Pacino in the lead. Heat 2, which will both serve as a prequel and a sequel, is slated to add Adam Driver in the lead.
When Deadline spoke to the director a few months ago, he announced that he wrote the novel with Meg Gardiner, which became a quick bestseller on release. He planned to make it his next. It was rumored that Adam Driver would play a young Robert De Niro in the movie. The filmmaker replied that although he did not talk about that yet, he and Driver get along very well.
“Perhaps. We don’t talk about that yet. Let me put it this way: Adam and I got along like a house on fire [on Ferrari]. We have the same work ethic – which is pretty intense. We like each other, and we had a great time working together artistically.”
Like the first movie, the Heat 2 novel also turned out to be a huge success. Similar results are expected from the sequel film as well. The recently released Ferrari also received critical acclaim from everywhere. On the other hand, Adam Driver got to work with another elite filmmaker and The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola’s upcoming Megalopolis.
