Additionally, James Gunn said John Cena is “among the best people to work with”
James Gunn. PHOTO: CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK
James Gunn keeps tabs on Hollywood.
The Guardians of the Galaxy director, 56, answered fan questions over the weekend on Twitter about his process as a director. One person took the opportunity to ask Gunn how he would respond to an actor who “isn’t working out.”
“…if you as a director have an actor who isn’t working out for any number of reasons (their process, temperament, lack of chemistry, etc) do you talk to them and give them a chance or two or do you quick trigger it and recast?” the Twitter user wrote.
“If it’s their temperament & it’s serious, I’ll immediately recast,” Gunn responded. “Life’s too short for a——-. Same if they’re repeatedly very late, which I hate, or unprepared. I have a long list of actors, A-list & otherwise, I’ll never work with for these reasons…”
In a subsequent tweet, Gunn continued, “But if it’s performance related, & they’re putting their all into it, I’ll do everything on my end to make it work until it’s absolutely clear the quality of the project will be perceivably harmed if we don’t recast. This can happen with really talented actors who just don’t fit.”
Guardians Director Slams ‘Utterly False Beliefs’ About Chris Pratt: He Will ‘Never’ Be Replaced
John Cena at The Suicide Squad premiere. KEVIN WINTER/GETTY
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On the topic, another person asked Gunn how he discovers that some actors are “a——-.” The fan asked, “Do you consider them for your projects, but then you find out from other directors that it is not worth working with them, or do you meet them at various events?”
“I always do due diligence on actors & production heads with directors, actors, producers & crew members I trust. If it checks out they’re jerks (not just cranky or curmudgeons but actual jerks) or irresponsible I don’t hire them,” he responded. “Some actors I already know never to even consider.”
While Gunn did not disclose any of the actors who he feels fall into this category, he did share one who certainly does not: John Cena.
“@JohnCena is among the best people to work with – always prepared & on time & kind to everyone,” he responded to a Twitter user’s guess that the WWE star is “on time.” “He & many of my regulars are among the actors I die to work with. I want to shout out to them here but paucity of characters means I’d be leaving many out.”
Cena, 45, was featured in Gunn’s 2021 film The Suicide Sqaud as Peacemaker, a role he reprised in the HBO Max series, Peacemaker, another one of Gunn’s projects.
James Gunn and Chris Pratt. STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE/GETTY
Gunn announced in May that filming on the third and final installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy had come to an end.
In an Instagram post, Gunn was seen laughing as he sat next to the Marvel movie’s cast, including Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Gunn’s brother Sean Gunn, Karen Gillan and Dave Bautista.
“And that’s a picture wrap on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy,” the director wrote in the caption at the time. “I love this amazing cast & crew & their beautiful talent & kind souls. I’m a lucky human to have them on the journey with me for nearly a decade.”
James also teased, “And yes Zoe [Saldaña] was with us but the only picture I have with her has an unannounced actor with us!”
