Sacha Baron Cohen explains dropping out of Django Unchained

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Chose Les Miserables instead

Sacha Baron Cohen was one of a number of stars who were initially pencilled in for a role in Django Unchained , only to drop out further down the line, and he’s taken the time to explain his reasons for leaving the Tarantino project.

“I was editing The Dictator and we were very close to release and Paramount wouldn’t push the date,” explains Cohen. “And then I knew I’d have to jump straight from there into Les Mis and it basically became a choice of either pulling out of Les Mis or pulling out of Django .”

A tough call then, although one that was made easier by the relative brevity of his part in the Tarantino film. “I’m sure Django is an incredible movie,” continues Cohen, “but it was essentially one scene.”

As for that scene in question, it would have dealt with how Broomhilda (Django’s wife) came to fall into the clutches of the evil Calvin Candie. “It was a character by the name of Scotty, whom Leonardo DiCaprio’s character plays a poker game with,” confirms Cohen. “The stakes become Scotty’s slave girl, Broomhilda.”

You can decide for yourselves whether or not Cohen made the right choice when the two films are released later this month. Les Miserables opens in the UK on 11 January 2013, while Django Unchained follows exactly one week later.

George Wales
George Wales

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.