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Casting Drama: Gotti Biopic Whacks Joe Pesci
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Jul 29, 2011
Modified Jul 29, 2011
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By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Jul 29, 2011
Modified Jul 29, 2011
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The upcoming John Gotti biopic Gotti: In The Shadow Of My Father is shaping up to be one of the greatest trainwrecks of all time, with enough casting shuffles coming to light this week to make filming Apocalypse Now look like a dream vacation.
The latest update comes from Joe Pesci, who's suing producers of the flick, claiming he was guaranteed $3 million for a role as Gotti enforcer Angelo Ruggiero under the film's original director Nick Cassavetes, only to be denied the role and offered a lesser part for $1 million after Cassavetes was fired. "(Pesci) ended his very strict and healthy diet, and has so far gained approximately 30 pounds in anticipation of playing Ruggiero, who was well known for his heavy and stocky build," the lawsuit states. Producer Mark Fiore is having none of it, telling the News "It's a joke. Mr. Pesci is going to embarrass himself...He's not getting a penny from me."
In other casting drama—following shakeups from Lindsay Lohan, Kelly Preston and godfather-of-them-all Al Pacino—producers are rumored to be eyeing Mamma Mia star Dominic Cooper to play the younger Gotti opposite Pacino and John Travolta. We'll update later with the formally defined Gotti casting drama drinking game, tentatively called "Hoo-ah!"
Tagged
biopic
casting
dominick cooper
gotti
gotti biopic
joe pesci
john gotti
Jamie Feldmar
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