Quentin Tarantino has explained how he wrote an Inglorious Basterds role for Adam Sandler.
The 2009 film follows a group of Jewish soldiers on an undercover mission to bring down Hitler and the Nazi government.
Inglourious Basterds starred starred Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Mélanie Laurent and Eli Roth. Roth played Sgt Donny “The Bear Jew” Donowitz.
In a new interview on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, as per Collider, on which Judd Apataow was also a guest, Tarantino spoke about the fact he had originally written the part of Donowitz for Sandler.
Tarantino said that he met Apatow when he filmed a cameo for his 2000 film Little Nicky, which also starred Sandler.
Apatow said: “I feel bad because when I did Funny People with Sandler, I wasn’t aware that that was the exact time you were trying to use him for Inglorious Basterds.”
Tarantino said that while he had wanted Sandler to be in his film, he thought Funny People was a better fit for the actor.
“Obviously, he should’ve done yours because of the whole thing of it. I mean, you start with the f***ing video cassette of you guys as kids,” he said.
“But yeah, the Bear Jew was going to… I wrote the Bear Jew for Adam Sandler. When I was doing Little Nicky, he’s telling me like, ‘Oh man, I get to f***ing beat up Nazis with a bat? F***ing script! F***ing awesome! I can’t f***ing wait! I can’t f***ing wait!’ He was like telling every Jewish guy, ‘I’m going to f***ing play this guy who beats up Nazis with a f***ing bat.’”
The filmmaker went on to joke that Apatow had cast all the “good” Jewish actors for Funny People, meaning no one was available for Inglorious Basterds.
“Seth Rogen and all the good Jews were doing Funny People,” said Tarantino.
“I’m killing Hitler with baseball bats and there’s no good Jews available! David Krumholtz, nobody! All the good Jews were all wrapped up! I’m doing the Jewish male fantasy!”
Funny People (2009) starred Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Jonah Hill.
