Kurt Russell is one of the biggest stars in the world and has been for decades now. Everybody loves Kurt Russell, so, it’s no surprise that it took a wild sum of money to get him to star in one of the most underrated and best science fiction movies of the ’90s, Stargate.
In the many years that Russell has been gracing our screen, he’s starred in some of the best movies of all time. His work in the likes of Death Proof, Escape From New York, and The Thing prove that he is one of the best actors around.
At the peak of his powers, Russell appeared in one of the best ’90s movies, teaming up with acclaimed director Roland Emmerich. It wasn’t easy to get him on board, however, and it cost the production a hell of a lot of money.
In a profile on the main man by GQ, it is revealed that the producers of Stargate were so desperate to have Russell leading the line in their new movie that they paid him twice as much as he had previously earned to help him get over his reluctance to star in the flick.
Russell took on the role of Jack O’Neill, a character who, let’s be honest, is not very endearing. Fearing that audiences may not take kindly to O’Neill, the producers carried out some crucial research.
On why he was so in demand, Russell said: “[The producers] said, ‘We ran a questionnaire around the world’. They wanted to rate actors on their unlikeability. They wanted to find someone who was likeable because the part, as written, was not. And they said, ‘You know the only star out there who has zero unlikeability?’ ‘Kurt Russell’. Zero unlikeability!”
Seeing the funny side of this compliment, Russell jokes: “Now, that was a long time ago. That number may have changed significantly.” But, he doesn’t claim any credit for how people perceive him. “Inherent likeability, or inherent dislike-ability, is something I think we all carry with us… Now when you talk about yourself in those terms, I find that unlikeable. ‘Stop! You idiot! There’s millions of people who can’t stand the fucking sight of you!’ And that may be true.”
We love the sight of you, Kurt, don’t worry! To get more Kurt Russell in your life, check out our breakdown of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast, and our list of the best Marvel villains.