Did you know that sometimes, even the brightest stars in Hollywood make mistakes? That’s what happened to Donald Sutherland, a legendary actor known for countless roles in hits like The Hunger Games.
Starting a Journey Down Memory Lane
Over his five decades in the industry, Sutherland bagged nearly 200 roles. From the small screen, like Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H, to big movies, he proved he could do it all. However, perfection isn’t always possible. In Sutherland’s case, a bad call during contract talks for Animal House in 1978 proved quite costly.
The Big Blunder in Animal House
Animal House, directed by John Landis, teamed up talented actors like John Belushi, Tim Matheson and Thomas Hulce. Landis, who was fond of Sutherland from their days on the set of Kelly’s Heroes, included him in the ensemble. But Sutherland asked for a big upfront payment.
The producers proposed he be paid $20,000 for a day’s work, and get a chunk of the movie’s profits. But Sutherland rejected that offer. He opted instead for a day rate of $35,000, but without any profit cut.
Regret Knocking on the Door
Looking back, Sutherland admits that rejecting the offer was a massive miscalculation. If he’d said yes to the profit share, he would have pocketed at least $20 million. That’s because Animal House was a cash machine, pulling in a cool $141.6 million at the box office!
Matt Damon’s Cautionary Tale
The story about Sutherland isn’t unique either. Matt Damon, award-winning actor from The Bourne Ultimatum, also ended up regretting a choice he made. Damon was offered a role in the blockbuster Avatar by James Cameron himself but had to turn it down due to scheduling bumps with the Bourne series. The role would have made him a whopping $250 million richer! Instead, Avatar, which earned a staggering $2.7 billion worldwide, became a missed opportunity.
By the way, Damon wasn’t only regretful about Avatar. He and Ben Affleck, his Good Will Hunting team-mate, sold their Oscar-winning script for just $600,000. After taxes and agent fees, their bank accounts saw a significant drop.
Learning from Hollywood
What can we learn from these stories? Whether it’s Sutherland’s missed fortune or Damon’s regretful pass, we’re reminded that we need to think long-term. Setting sights on quick bucks can sometimes result in missed long-term gains.
Yes, Sutherland continued his successful career until his death and Damon still bags big paychecks. But their stories warn about the cost of overlooking big opportunities for immediate gratification.
Financial wisdom isn’t easy to navigate, but it’s essential. It needs a mix of bravery, planning and insight. The stories of Animal House and Avatar remind us to be ready to grab opportunities, especially when they’re not immediately obvious.
Wrapping Up the Story
There’s a lot to enjoy in the entertainment world, and it’s not just what we see on the big screen. The off-screen happenings can be just as fascinating, if not more so. Stories of miscalculated decisions are proof that even our favorite celebs are human and can make mistakes.
So, as we watch Animal House, filled with great performances, just think about the might-have-beens. Sutherland could have had much more than just acting credits for the film. But then again, who knows what the future will bring? All we can do is learn from these moments and hope we make better choices when our turn comes.
For more details, visit Project Casting Blog on https://www.projectcasting.com/blog/news/the-20m-decision-how-donald-sutherlands-acting-career-was-micast/