You may or may not know this, but actors can be an eccentric bunch at the best of times. From ridiculous behind-the-scenes demands, to the creative friction that leads to actors hating the directors they work with, to extreme examples of method acting, it's common wisdom that many actors carry their fair share of irregularities that supplement their star persona.
That occasionally extends to the negotiations that take place for an actor to even be onboarded to a project. Sure, it's a regular occurrence
for there to be some on-set discord as differing artistic visions manifest themselves during production, but some actors refuse to even get that far without some lavish, specific, or sometimes bizarre demands that will put them in the good graces of the producers. No, contract negotiations don't always purely revolve around salary — sometimes it's protections against an actor's image, the presence of seemingly superficial items on set that hold no bearing over production, or, as comes up surprisingly often, time off for playing or watching sports. Stars: They're just like us...right?
Here are the 12 weirdest clauses that actors have added to their contracts.
Read more: The Greatest Character Actors Of All Time, Ranked
Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, And Jason Statham Refuse To Lose Fights
Vin Diesel has already been noted requesting other bizarre conditions for the Fast & Furious franchise, and Dwayne Johnson has been characterized for years as cautious about the toughness of his on-screen persona, so it's only natural that the contracts for their action franchise, in which they frequently have to build drama out of chasing and fighting people, have a stipulation about how much damage the stars can actually take.
Co-star Jason Statham got wrapped up in these provisions as well, with Diesel going as far as devising an elaborate ratings system that served as a record of how many hits each star was taking to find some kind of machismo equilibrium. That arrangement was ultimately deemed too complex to be feasible, though the productions did follow through on the general idea that none of the three actors should be able to be clocked as the unequivocal loser.
Some of this can likely be traced back to the infamous public feud between Johnson and Diesel — a beef which Johnson has said he regrets — but in any case, it is the perfect type of goofy, insecure male posturing to accompany a franchise like "Fast & Furious," which occasionally leans into being a macho-man soap opera.
Queen Latifah Can't Die
You read that right — Queen Latifah has figured out the secret to immortality. Well, on-screen immortality, that is, and it's really just adding in a clause to her contracts that says she can't die in the movies she's in. All actors' roles may live on forever, but Latifah wanted to make sure that applied in-universe to every one of her characters as well.
Latifah talked about this on The Late Late Show with James Corden, back when that was a thing, saying, "When I first started doing movies, I always had these death scenes ... and [I thought] 'Wait a minute, if I die in these movies, I can't be in the sequel!'" So, naturally, she relayed to her agent that she wanted a "no die" clause in her contracts for future movies, and the rest is history: Queen Latifah has been alive ever since.
Knowledge of this clause really puts a damper on the movie "Last Holiday," a comedy in which Latifah plays a woman who is told she has just a few weeks left to live, and we still haven't gotten a sequel to the likes of her other studio comedies like "Bringing Down the House," but, if not for her contract, who knows if she would be coming back for the sixth "Ice Age" movie that's currently in development.
Samuel L. Jackson Can Go Golfing Twice A Week
Samuel L. Jackson may not mind ignoring his agents' advice, but I'm sure they were hesitant to say no when the actor requested a contract stipulation allowing him to golf twice a week. Jackson typically carries an authoritative presence on-screen, and that apparently extends to when the cameras aren't rolling, often dictating what he will or won't contribute to a film, and the designated time he'll receive for some leisure activities.
Jackson spoke openly to The New York Times about his governing personality on set, admitting to being a "hard taskmaster for some directors," as well as having distaste for doing extra takes. He said, "I'm at that point where I can say, 'Uh, you know that's not going to be in the movie, right? We already got it...I'm not going to do that.'" He also explained the logistics of his condition, saying, "Generally, they either move me onto a golf course so I can play, or join a club so I can play, and they have to let me play at least twice a week." God help the director who one day tells Jackson he can't go hit the links.
Uma Thurman Wanted The Nicest Dressing Room
Once upon a time, Uma Thurman was meant to star in a movie called "Eloise in Paris," an adaptation of the Kay Thompson children's book. The movie never came to fruition, allegedly because of contract disputes that were mostly focused on Thurman's compensation, but there were apparently other, more luxurious demands on her behalf that may have caused some additional hassle.
Thurman reportedly had a host of extravagant requirements, including first-class air travel, a hotel room of no smaller than three bedrooms, and three cell phones to have on hand during production. Most notable, however, is the requested comfort of her backstage amenities as compared to her co-stars, with a specific call-out in her terms that none of the rest of the cast should be given better dressing rooms.
There's no corroboration that these provisions were the particular deal-breakers that halted production of "Eloise in Paris," and it's far more likely that money was more of an issue than bragging rights about a nice dressing room. Though after Quentin Tarantino put Thurman's life on the line with a reckless "Kill Bill" stunt, maybe Thurman is owed some superfluous opulence by the industry.
Dolph Lundgren Had Three Chances To Deliver His Lines On Masters Of The Universe
Noted Swede Dolph Lundgren knew that for the first prominent speaking role of his Hollywood career, he would need legal assurance that he had a fair chance to nail his lines as He-Man. I'm still not sure anything at all would have saved the Gary Goddard-directed IP-driven boondoggle "Masters of the Universe," let alone Lundgren's delivery merely sounding a little less silly, but his contract for the film was a keen piece of ensuring some personal artistic integrity.
The supposed stipulation was that Lundgren would have three attempts to deliver his part satisfactorily before they dubbed him over with another actor. Goddard, who still holds "Masters of the Universe" as his single directorial claim to fame, was apparently insistent that Lundgren be recorded over, but the actor held out, and his action-star career now speaks for itself. As for "Masters of the Universe," the franchise was stuck in live-action-adaptation purgatory, such was the staggering stench of this attempt, but could potentially be acquitted with a new film starring Nicholas Galitzine in the lead role of He-Man/Prince Adam.
William Frawley Took Off Work To See The Yankees
There are two episodes of "I Love Lucy" in which William Frawley does not appear as Fred Mertz, the irritable landlord of the winsome duo Lucy and Ricky (Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz). Why? Well, he was apparently too busy watching the New York Yankees trying to win the World Series to show up to film.
Yes, the same man who allegedly breezed into the role of Mertz by calling up friend Lucille Ball and drolly remarking, "Red, I hear you gotta TV series coming on. You got a part for me?" seems to have taken the same type of blithe attitude toward the contractual nature of his attendance on set. He was to be allowed time away from work any time the Yanks were in the World Series, which, fortuitously, happened eight times throughout the 1950s. As a veteran actor of well over one hundred films by the time "I Love Lucy" hit the airwaves and changed television history, Frawley had probably earned a dream gig that let him deliver some quick laugh lines and take off for his favorite hobby, so I'm not sure anyone can blame him.
Garry Marshall Had A Role Open For Hector Elizondo No Matter What
What else are friends for if not ensuring that your best bud has a role in all of your movies? Actor Héctor Elizondo made an appearance in every film by director Garry Marshall, a feat that Marshall ensured was possible through contractual design.
Speaking with ET in the wake of Marshall's passing, Elizondo said, "I couldn't say no, of course, because I found out years later that I was in his contract. He never told me." After being cast in Marshall's debut feature, the spoof comedy "Young Doctors In Love," the two got along so well that Marshall seemingly couldn't ever imagine making a film where his friend Elizondo didn't make some sort of appearance, no matter how small. That type of staunch dedication is likely why Marshall's films continue to loom large, adhering to an emotional loyalty to both his cast and his characters that radiates from his best work. That's not a bad working relationship to develop from a friendship that apparently started with Marshall getting hit in the face with a basketball by Elizondo.
Lauren Graham Is Always Available For More Gilmore Girls
Lauren Graham seemingly hasn't taken the decidedly mixed reception to the "Gilmore Girls" revival, "A Year in the Life," to heart. The cozy WB Television coming-of-age small-town seriocomic drama is the type of nostalgic favorite that retains a steady and ardent fanbase, and Graham is always on deck to step back into Stars Hollow.
During an interview on EW Live via SiriusXM in 2021, Graham said that she has it written into her contracts that she'll be able to step away from a project for any potential future "Gilmore Girls" renewal. She said, "I put that window [for potential 'Gilmore Girls' work] into all my new jobs just in case ... It's not for any concrete reason other than that I have a loyalty and an openness to working with [Amy Sherman-Palladino]...shows are so restrictive now that we try to carve out some pockets just in case." Graham is clear to say there's nothing on the horizon at the current moment, but fans can rest assured that there won't be a problem getting her to set if the opportunity presents itself.
Roger Moore Got All The Cigars He Wanted For Playing James Bond
Roger Moore's own least favorite James Bond movie may be one of his own, but at least he got a decent compensation package worked into his contract for any work he found substandard. Moore, a cigar connoisseur, felt it wasn't enough for his Bond to prominently be smoking them, requesting an unlimited supply of Montecristo cigars to be included in his contract as the debonair super spy.
Moore's run as Bond would live on as somewhat divisive within the overall roster of portrayals, affording the character more of a cheeky levity in seven films across 12 years, a tenure that could agreeably be considered an overstayed welcome. (Daniel Craig, however, holds the record for the longest amount of time spent in the franchise at 15 years, although he only starred in five "Bond" films as opposed to Moore's and Sean Connery's seven each.) If I had to guess, the steady reserve of luxury cigars must have just been too good a deal to throw away.
Jack Nicholson Won't Work On Lakers Game Days
It's been 25 years since Jack Nicholson disappeared from Hollywood, and the legendary actor has remained reasonably reclusive since, typically only seen at the odd Los Angeles Lakers game. It's just as well that the only time anyone would ever see Nicholson following a historic career is courtside for his favorite team, as he's proven himself a longtime loyal fan, the fixture of his presence at games becoming the source of online memeification unto itself.
Nicholson took his Lakers fandom to the extreme with his film contracts: He had a clause written in that he would be free to cut out of work to attend Lakers games. This doesn't seem like it ever caused too much conflict, though Nicholson did demand that the tapes from the latest games be delivered to him when the filming of Tim Burton's "Batman" relocated to England. I'm not sure we'll ever see Nicholson take on another acting role, but hopefully, we continue to see our favorite honorary Lakers member doing stuff like shouting at referees on the court.
Will Ferrell Asked For A Bunch Of Weird Stuff For Semi-Pro
This is the only entry on this list in which I can only imagine the star involved was in pursuit of a bit of a laugh. In order to star in the mostly forgettable 2008 sports comedy "Semi-Pro," Will Ferrell requested a collection of eccentric items that could reasonably serve no other purpose than making the actor laugh when seeing them in official writing in his contract.
In a leaked copy of the document from The Smoking Gun, Ferrell's "Artist's Requirements" consist of: One electric three wheel mobility scooter, one headset microphone (specifically "Janet Jackson style"), one flight of stairs on wheels, one fake tree on wheels, and one rainbow on wheels (this one, his contract specifies, can be painted on canvas). The jury's out on whether or not he actually received any of these items, but it is a funny prospect to consider legitimate business negotiations taking place regarding his participation and parties involved figuring out whether or not they'll actually need to accommodate this. Or, maybe they were like James Caan on the set of "Elf," and just didn't find it very funny.
Tom Cruise Won't Lend Out His Likeness For Merchandising
You may have noticed that there are "Mission: Impossible" video games that exist that neglect to use the face of Tom Cruise for the protagonist. You may have also noticed that there are no officially licensed action figures of any of Cruise's heroic blockbuster characters. I definitely have, because both things would be pretty cool!
As it turns out, Cruise refuses to offer up his likeness for merchandising. The actor supposedly has a stipulation in his contract that says his face may not be used for any peripheral promotional material; obviously, movie posters and trailers are fair game, but once you start getting into toys, games, clothing, or other items not explicitly tied to promoting a film with the official footage and photography, it ain't gonna happen. Cruise was even approached about appearing in potential video game versions of "Mission: Impossible III" and "War of the Worlds," which he staunchly refused. Cruise, as our last true movie star, unambiguously realizes the sanctity of his movie star persona and how the usage of his face in supplementary tie-in products diminishes the significance of his presence. He reads as a man who refuses to dilute such a command over audiences.
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