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UPDATE: Copperhead director Ron Maxwell took issue with some of the specifics of our story. He released the following statement from Canada on Wednesday: “It is truly regrettable when unnamed sources make spurious statements on subjects of which they know nothing. The assertion that Jason Patric was replaced on Copperhead because he would not take direction is completely false. Consummate professionals are replaced everyday, all the time, in all walks of life. It happens. Welcome to the real world. Jason is a total professional, a first rate actor and despite our creative differences, a friend.” Hold on, “creative differences?” Wasn’t that, specifics aside, what our story said?
PREVIOUS, Tuesday PM: Copperhead has a new lead actor. Billy Campbell will take over the lead in the Civil War-era feature after Jason Patric was let go this weekend. Copperhead was three weeks into shooting up in New Brunswick, Canada, when Patric was dismissed, Deadline has heard, for refusing to take instructions from director Ron Maxwell. Billy Campbell, who plays Darren Richmond on AMC’s The Killing, will now portray family head Amber Beech in the film, which is being produced by Swordspoint Productions. The feature is based on Harold Frederic’s 1883 novel about a family feud during the Civil War. Patric is repped by ICM. Campbell is repped by CAA and Kritzer Levine Wilkins Griffin Entertainment.
Deadline's Dominic Patten - tip him here.
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I’d scream “Spoiler alert!” if I hadn’t given up on The Killing last season.
It’s a movie, not a new show.
Both guys were trial balloons packed into the star-making canon and then shot out over the landscape years back only to begin their inevitable descents from the stratosphere. Now its onto the C list, made-for-t.v. fare, less powerful agents, autograph festivals and in a few short years, a serious re-examination in front of the mirror.
Where are the fresh faces? Why do stars who fail on the A list get slotted automatically into the B,C and D lists? Shouldn’t it just be 3 strikes and your out and then sent down to the regionals? Isn’t that how they do it in the MLB? Why are unexciting personalities allowed to retire on television and B movie welfare for decades simply because they may have opened a profile movie 15 years ago?
So every actor who doesn’t have a sustained career as an established above-the-line mega-star is supposed to just drop out of acting altogether? If you’re not starring in a movie or leading a TV series, you’re nothing?
Campbell is great in The Killing. Your comment shows a total lack of knowledge about an acting career (or any career for that matter).
A list or go home?
What a vapid, draconian point of view.
Buddhabob is full of it. Obviously he hasn’t seen Campbell’s fantastic Emmy-worthy performance on three seasons of ONCE AND AGAIN. He may not have made it as an A-list star, but the guy is a phenomenal talent.
Hear Hear. One of the worst Emmy snubs ever. Made to sting a little less only by Kyle Chandler’s eventual win.
I think Jason Patric is ready for TV. Hopefully FX pick up the Powers pilot this second go around. If not i could see as a Modern Peter Gunn TV series remake.
I think this sounds like Producer/Director spin and is harmful to the actor and unfair. He’s a good actor and there surely must be more to this story than stated.
Patric seems to vanish for years at a time in the movie field, but Campbell has worked constantly in TV for the better part of twenty years and a good chunk of it is quality stuff.
Jason Patric is his own worst enemy. It really is too bad. He had such a promising career. With his looks and talent he could have had a career to rival Brad Pitt. But he just could not get out of his own way.
“Could not get out of his own way”?
WHich way are you talking about? HIs phenomenal monologue in Your Friends and Neighbors for which he should have won an Oscar, and nobody would be talking like this, or his turn in Narc where he gives one of the best cop performances , in a hackneyed genre filled with crap, in AMerican film?
This guy is a real man throwback to the McQueen and Brando days. Read the director( BTW two mediocre movies in 20 yrs,) retraction.
What a bunch of Hollywood suck ups. I mean seriously, Billy Campbell compared to Jason Patric?
PULEEZE.
A new movie from Ron Maxwell! This is great! Loved Gettysburg!!
Love love love love Billy Campbell. Have since before Once and Again. There just isn’t a cracker larger enough for this delicious man who is also a wonderful actor.
I don’t even know how Jason Patric makes a living. He hasn’t been in anything forever.
Jason Patric is a very good actor, (excellent in Rush & Narc). I’m not sure what Jason’s story is, but Billy Campbell has been continually working. He’s been very good in shows like Once and Again, The 4400, and has really been Emmy worthy in The Killing.
I have no idea what Patric’s problem is, but this has been his story his entire career.
Good for Billy Campbell. His career has picked up in the last years, and he’s unfairly languished and been passed over for lesser talents repeatedly. Hopefully he’s moving into the Bogart stage of his career now. He deserves success.
“I have no idea what Patric’s problem is, but this has been his story his entire career.”
The man has been in at least FOUR movies he should have been nominated for-
AFTER DARK MY SWEET, RUSH, YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, NARC. He does continually interesting work. Suffers no fools, and never pumps himself in the press. In todays age of Kardashian and AVENGERS, that is something that should be admired.
Jason’s problem is that he is the most angry, self centered, pretentious actor/person I have ever met. He doesn’t take direction well, thinks he know everything and is very difficult on a set! It’s nice to be great as an actor but not in movies nobody sees. He needs to bury his ego and get on with his career as the gifted actor he is!!!
OHJeez you are completely full of crap. As if you had ever worked with Jason. Your post smacks of a jealous nobody as it is all over the place. You throw out easy words like pretentious and self centered,, ego, an then basically say thats ok if people SEE your movies. I have worked with Jason, I was in the camera department on YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. I will say that Jason is an intimidating presence, and he expects everyone to do their job. He respects everyone on the set, but demands the same. He was the producer of this movie, and it was one of my first, and he treated me just as if i was Nancy Schreiber our cinematographer. He lead that great cast of actors, and never asked for anything, just an incredibly hard worker.Catherine Keener said and I quote” Jason raises the bar for everyone” It was Neil Labute’s second film, first in Hollywood, and he was nervous. Another actor like Ed Norton( who notoriously took over American History X) would have run right over Neil. Jason was kind and protective, using his voice only to help Neils vision. I remember him coming up to us in the camera truck and telling us tho come to him if there was ever any miscommunication with Neil, and that he would talk to him so Neil wouldn’t feel insecure in any way.
I saw a very confident man/actor, but ego? If he had such an overbearing one why wouldn’t he be getting it stroked for the past 20 years riding the Press Whore Fame Horse? He just does his work , and then goes home. We all respected him for that, and I learned a lot from him. What a set should be, and focus and drive.
I can’t stand non workers like OhJeez that just snark. If you know all these things about Patric, or anybody else, state your name and specifics you fraud.
-Jeff Cunningham
Couldn’t agree more Jeff.
Worked with Patric on The Alamo for four months. Funniest, most down to earth guy you’d ever want a beer with. And the first to jump over the bar to defend someone.
Ohjeez= whiny actor or wannabe filmmaker