The use of a racial term and objections to a nude scene have reportedly caused a supporting actor in Nicolas Cage’s biopic of Bay Area football hero John Madden, “Madden,” to leave the film.
According to unnamed individuals quoted in a TMZ report, the unnamed actor was collaborating with director David O. Russell on “an impromptu monologue when the director allegedly said the N-word.” It is reported that the actor left the scene, along with several witnesses to the discussion.
Russell was reportedly incensed when the same actor stated a day earlier that he did not want to be in a scene in the locker room that needed full frontal nudity.
However, studio sources refute the TMZ account, claiming that the actor came up with the idea to use the disparaging language in the scene following a “private creative conversation” with Russell. They insist that the slur was not used on site by the director.
“That nudity was not sprung on anyone — everyone knew well in advance parts would be on display,” the sources added. According to them, an intimacy coordinator attempted to help the actor feel more at ease by suggesting alternative blocking, but he continued to have problems, so Russell decided the actor didn’t need to be in the picture.
According to studio sources who spoke to TMZ, “conversations” are still going on and the actor may rejoin the production.
