When the paycheck wins: Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and others who chose movie clunkers
You might roll your eyes at the movies, but the paychecks glittered—these actors took poorly received films because the money was too good to refuse.
Michael Caine was on a beach in the Bahamas shooting a shark sequel when his name was called at the Oscars. The year was 1987; the movie was Jaws: The Revenge ; and Caine, playing pilot Hoagie, skipped the ceremony for a paycheck he knew was more appealing than the script.
“I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific.” — Michael Caine
Six times the check won
- Michael Caine — Jaws: The Revenge (1987) — A few weeks’ work in the Bahamas and a fat fee outweighed any artistic qualms. The sequel was savaged by critics, and Caine missed collecting his Hannah and Her Sisters Oscar because he was on set, but he’s never wavered on why he said yes.
- Marlon Brando — Superman ( 1978) — As Jor‑El, Brando did 12 days on the job, pulled in about $3.7 million plus a slice of the profits, and treated the whole thing like a transaction. He refused to memorize lines, reading from cue cards — even, in one scene, off baby Kal‑El’s diaper — and walked away richer than ever.
“Never confuse the size of your paycheck with the size of your talent.” — Marlon Brando
- Alec Guinness — Star Wars (1977 ) — The Obi‑Wan Kenobi actor thought George Lucas’s space opera read like “fairy tale rubbish,” but he negotiated a high upfront salary and lucrative back end. That deal made him a multimillionaire even as he rolled his eyes at the dialogue.
“I can’t say I’m enjoying the film, but it’s making me very rich.” — Alec Guinness (in his diary)
- Bill Murray — Garfield: The Movie (2004) — Murray saw “Joel Cohen” on the script, mistook him for Joel Coen of the Coen brothers, and signed on to voice the lasagna‑lover. By the time he realized the error, he was locked in — so he recorded the role, took the check, and later roasted the whole fiasco in Zombieland.
“I looked at the script, and it said ‘Joel Coen.’ I thought, ‘I love those Coens!’ So I didn’t read any more… I just recorded the voice and got paid.” — Bill Murray
- Sean Connery — Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) — Connery popped in uncredited at the end as King Richard, spoke about four lines, worked two days, and reportedly earned $250,000 — which he said he donated in full to a hospital charity in Scotland. A troubled production didn’t keep him from taking (and then giving away) the money.
“I was paid $250,000 for two days’ work… but I gave every penny to charity because the money was there.” — Sean Connery
- Morgan Freeman — career philosophy — The Oscar winner has long been blunt that practicality plays a part, whether he’s doing prestige dramas or sturdy studio thrillers. When the salary is right, he’s fine overlooking script hiccups.
“If somebody offers you a job, it’s very nice if they’re offering you also an exciting script, but in reality, two or three things come into play. What are they going to pay you? If they’re going to pay you enough, then you overlook some of the glitches in the script that happen to be there.” — Morgan Freeman (to The New York Times)