Richard Dreyfuss starred in ‘Reckless’ because he was "paid a lot of money".
The 68-year-old actor revealed that the filmmakers offered him a big salary for the political thriller, co-starring Patrick Wilson, and that it quite simply came at the right time for him.
Speaking to movie website HeyUGuys Dreyfuss said: "It was a well-written role and they paid me a lot of money. It came at a good time when I was building myself up before taking on a lead role again."
The ‘Mr Holland’s Opus’ star also revealed that he’s not interested in playing second fiddle in movies and likes to be the star with the power.
He explained: "I like the starring role. I like being the star because that position means you have power. Being a supporting player means you only have power by the grace of god, or the grace of the film’s star.
"I’d much rather be allowed into all the rooms and not have to beg for entry."
Dreyfuss also had some interesting musings on past glories.
Speaking of one of his most famous roles, in Steven Spielberg’s 1977 movie ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’, he says the film’s release was unfortunate as it coincided with George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars’.
Dreyfuss said: "If it had opened six months before Star Wars instead of six months after I think it would have been riffed on throughout all of filmdom since and people of great and serious literary quality would be writing films about space and aliens and such. That scheduling was unfortunate, but I take nothing away from George [Lucas], however. He made the film for kids."
‘Reckless’ is out now on DVD.
Richard Dreyfuss took Reckless role for huge salary
