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Jonah Hill has made a mark in Hollywood through his nuanced acting in various acclaimed films such asSuperbad, Moneyball, 21 Jump Street,etc. The actor has also turned director with the coming-of-age dramaMid90s.
Hill made a great impression on the audience when he was featured in Martin Scorsese’s black comedyThe Wolf of Wall Street. The Leonardo DiCaprio starrer was a huge hit upon release, earning more than $400 million at the global box office. However, Jonah Hill seems to have not tasted the monetary success of the film as he accepted only a SAG-approved minimum wage for the film.
Also read:“Leo are you okay?”: Leonardo DiCaprio Ended Up Vomiting in a Trash Can After Punching Jonah Hill Really Hard While Shooting ‘The Wolf of the Wall Street’
Jonah Hill Had To Fight For His Role InThe Wolf Of Wall Street
BeforeThe Wolf of Wall Street,Jonah Hillwas known for teen and adult comedies such asSuperbad, Knocked Up,and the21 Jump Streetseries, with the Brad Pitt starring sports dramaMoneyballbeing an exception. However, his talents were not unrecognized. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the Aaron Sorkin-writtenMoneyball.
Despite making a mark as a recognized actor, Hill claims that he had to really fight for his role inThe Wolf of Wall Street. The actor is a huge fan of Martin Scorsese and was ready to do anything to work with the legendary director. Scorsese andLeonardo DiCapriowere looking for an actor to play the role of Donny Azof, the protagonist Jordan Belfort’s right-hand man in the film. They had already auditioned Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Chris Evans for the role. However, Jonah Hill was desperate.
Also read:Wolf of Wall Street Star Jonah Hill’s Girlfriend Slams Him a Misogynist for Demanding She Stop “Boundaryless inappropriate friendships with men”
Hill first approached Leonardo DiCaprio to pitch himself for an audition. Talking about his fight for the role, Hill said,
“I had got the opportunity to meet with Leo first and give him an impassioned argument as to why I had to play the part, and then he was supportive, luckily…Then I went to New York, and I said, ‘Well, can I show Scorsese what I want to do instead of just begging him to do the part.’ Then I got to read with him, and I was lucky enough to get the part.”
The actor was selected for the part of Donny Azof and received unanimous acclaim for the role, including another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. However, the film was far from his best paycheck.
Also read:“He called me to meet him and I didn’t p-ssy out”: Jonah Hill Refused Multiple Billion Dollar Franchises to Get Andrew Garfield’s Level of Respect in Hollywood
Jonah Hill Was Paid The SAG Minimum Wage For His Oscar-Nominated Role
After Jonah Hill pitched himself to DiCaprio and read out for Martin Scorsese, he waited for a legitimate offer from the legendary director. When he received it, however, it was far from the salary that he usually charges. Jonah Hill has starred in some profitable ventures in a prominent capacity, even beforeThe Wolf of Wall Street. Films like21 Jump Streetearned a whopping $200 million over a $55 million budget and were also critical successes.
Hence, when Jonah Hill revealed that he received a $60,000 salary forThe Wolf of Wall Street, the public was surprised. The lowball offer was the minimum approved amount by the Screen Actor’s Guild. However, Jonah Hill took the offer as he was desperate to work with Scorsese and did not want them to look for someone else. He said,
“That was their offer, and I said, ‘I will sign the paper tonight. Fax them the papers tonight. I want to sign them tonight before they change their mind. I want to sign them before I go to sleep tonight so they legally can’t change their mind.”
Also read:“They were really both big decisions”: Jonah Hill Refused Bradley Cooper’s Role in $1B Franchise After Superbad Fame to Avoid Typecast
Jonah Hill has since mentioned that the experience was worth more than what he earned. Working with the director of classics such asTaxi Driver, Goodfellas, Casinoand more was a dream come true for the actor. Talking to Howard Stern, he said,
“This isn’t what you make money for. You do 22 Jump Street or you do other things, and you can pay your rent. I would have done anything in the world. I would do it again in a second. This isn’t about money. You should do things that you care about.”
He mentioned that the film gave him an experience that he could never forget and that it was impossible to let go of an unhinged character like Donny. His appearance seems to have paid off for the actor as he has since starred in many well-received films, includingDon’t Look Up, where he reunited with hisThe Wolf of Wall Streetco-star Leonardo DiCaprio.
Source:The Things
Also read:“I could have lifted a car over my f*cking head”: Jonah Hill Was Miserable After Snorting Fake Cocaine For $389 Million Movie Starring Leonardo DiCaprio
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2419
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
