It’s the number one movie on Netflix this week, but Rebel Ridge might never have seen the light of day…Jeremy Saulnier’s new feature (Blue Ruins) tells the story of an ex-Marine who confronts crooked cops who unfairly deprive him of bailing out his cousin The amount intended for the purpose.
The main role of this action film was assigned to Aaron Pierre, an actor who is still little known to the general public, despite his important performances in the TV series The Underground Railroad and Genius season 4 (as Malcolm X). He was absolutely perfect in the role of Terry Richmond, the latter was not the director’s initial choice.
The shooting of the film was postponed several times
Because originally, the main role of Rebel Ridge was to be played by John Boyega. The British actor, best known for his role as Finn in the Star Wars sequel, joined the project in early 2020, before the Covid-19 outbreak delayed the start of filming for a year.
A year from now — that’s April 2021 — Rebel Ridge can finally begin filming. But after a week of production, the unthinkable happens. John Boyega left the project overnight without the slightest explanation. The film crew notes that he left his hotel without any incident prior to this sudden and certainly incomprehensible departure.
It was a hit, and the intervention of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos failed to convince the actor to return. Very quickly, rumors gave rise to reasons for this departure, ranging from simple artistic disagreements to the whims of the star regarding his living conditions. All of this is denied by John Boyega’s agent, who in turn mentions it simply “Family Reasons”.
A crucial hearing to find a replacement
Once again, filming was delayed for several months to find a replacement. And no one is more lucky than Aaron Pierre! Before their first meeting via Zoom, director Jeremy Saulnier had only seen the latter in the series “Underground Railroad”, but her performance was already enough to catch his attention.
From the very first minutes of the hearing, the filmmaker realized that Aaron Pierre would be Terry Richmond’s new interpreter. “He’s the guy, he’s the guy I want.” He expressed out loud without trying to find out more about the English actor. An instinctive choice, but one that paid off, with an incredible performance in a role almost tailor-made for him.
Rebel Ridge with Aaron Pierre, the top Netflix No. 1 this week, is available now on the streaming service.
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Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
