Kevin Smith’s next film “Zack and Miri make a Porno” is on the fast track, and that fast track caused Rosario Dawson to not be able to play the part that was originally written for her. Kevin Smith comments on just WHY she isn’t able to be in the film:
I wrote âZack and Miriâ with two actors in mind for the respective leads: Rosario, natch, as Miri, and this other guy as Zack. The idea was to shoot it sometime after the first of the year, post âRed Stateâ, but the reaction to the âZack and Miriâ script was so enthusiastic across the boards (from producer Scott Mosier, everyone at the Weinstein Co., the agents and managers of both Rosario as well as the unnamed male lead, Entertainment Weekly), that it got fast-tracked into first position (something that wasnât hard to do, considering âRed Stateâ wasnât finished yet). Suddenly, we were looking at an Oct/Nov â07 start for âZack and Miriâ.
Then, our prospective male lead needed some time to get some stuff done, so we moved âZack and Miriâ back to a January start – which would mean a late October/early November pre-production start (precluding any pre-âZackâ start for âRed Stateâ). This wouldâve mean Rosario would be sitting on her hands all fall, waiting to shoot âZack and Miriâ. And with the impending strike, with actors not knowing if theyâre gonna be working at all post-March, thatâs a tough request to make of any actor.
Then, along comes âEagle Eyeâ – the flick starring man-of-the-moment Shia LeBeouf, to be directed by âDisturbiaâ helmer D.J. Caruso – based on an original idea byâ¦
Wait for itâ¦
Steven fucking Spielberg.
I mean, who wouldnât take that gig?
Problem is, âEagle Eyeâ starts shooting in November and doesnât wrap âtil Feb/March. Well, thatâs not really a problem for anyone⦠except me and âZack and Miriâ.
So here I sit, momentarily, without a leading lady.
*sigh*
So there you have it. Rosario’s out…someone else is back in.
BTW – the rumor is that Jason Bateman is Zack.