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 “Zack and Miri” 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 “Red State”, but the reaction to the “Zack and Miri” 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 wasn’t hard to do, considering “Red State” wasn’t finished yet). Suddenly, we were looking at an Oct/Nov ‘07 start for “Zack and Miri”.
Then, our prospective male lead needed some time to get some stuff done, so we moved “Zack and Miri” back to a January start – which would mean a late October/early November pre-production start (precluding any pre-”Zack” start for “Red State”). This would’ve mean Rosario would be sitting on her hands all fall, waiting to shoot “Zack and Miri”. And with the impending strike, with actors not knowing if they’re gonna be working at all post-March, that’s a tough request to make of any actor.
Then, along comes “Eagle Eye” – the flick starring man-of-the-moment Shia LeBeouf, to be directed by “Disturbia” helmer D.J. Caruso – based on an original idea by…
Wait for it…
Steven fucking Spielberg.
I mean, who wouldn’t take that gig?
Problem is, “Eagle Eye” starts shooting in November and doesn’t wrap ’til Feb/March. Well, that’s not really a problem for anyone… except me and “Zack and Miri”.
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.