Miles Teller probably wishes he could go to sleep right now, and wake up on Monday, so this week could finally be over. If starring in the what is turning out to be one of the worst reviewed movies of the summer, “Fantastic Four,” wasn’t enough (read our take here) his not so flattering Esquire profile is also earning lots of attention. But buried within the interview is an interesting little nugget from the actor about “Whiplash” director Damien Chazelle‘s upcoming musical “La La Land.”
The project was supposed to have starred Teller and Emma Watson, with the pair signing up last summer. However, fast forward to this pat April, and the movie got a high profile upgrade with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone taking over the lead parts instead. And Teller reveals how he learned he was let go from the movie.
“…I got a call from my agent, saying, ‘Hey, I just got a call from Lionsgate. Damien told them that he no longer thinks you’re creatively right for the project. He’s moving on without you.’ ” Ouch. That’s a bit cold following a hot awards season for “Whiplash” (and it should be noted J.K. Simmons landed a role in “La La Land”). So, it’s perhaps not surprising that the magazine suggests a not so pleasant text message from Teller to Chazelle followed.
Perhaps this makes a lot of sense given that Chazelle’s movie, which is now shooting, follows a young couple — actress, Mia and jazz pianist, Sebastian — who try to keep their relationship together in a city of cutthroat careerism. Seems a bit of art reflecting life there…
By the way Zil, look up Average White Band, Lenny Picket, Four Play, Candy Dulfer or take a good look at Tower of Power. Add to the feeling of being uniquely ignorant.
Zil your comment is uniquely racist. In fact my father, a long time jazz and funk musician is a uniquely talented artist that was well known in the nightclubs he played for playing the trumpet and bass guitar at the same time…..and well at that. He later made a career in concert sound and lighting but continues to play even as he approaches 70. Not that long ago I got to talking to a family that had moved in from Hawaii while they were shopping at a sporting good store I was in. I mentioned my father had played in a night club there….they stopped me and named the band. They remembered the badass that played the bass and trumpet at the same time. The guy who used to spin the horn on his finger. Even many years later. And by the way my dad is so white he\’s almost translucent.
Wow, what a racist comment to make about jazz pianists. I know several excellent white jazz pianists, color has nothing to do with ability to play or interpret jazz. Teller wasn\’t dropped in favor of Gosling for any other reason that Gosling is a bigger star and marginally better looking. Teller has something on screen, he\’s a good actor, but he\’s going to lose some roles based on looks. Not to mention, Emma and Gosling have proven chemistry from their work in two other films already, they are a proven factor. Miles is really full of himself at the moment, he let all the Oscar hype go to his head, but it\’s unusual when that doesn\’t happen to a young actor who becomes successful almost overnight. Makes you appreciate the quiet, humble, self deprecting ones even more. The ones who follow their own path and aren\’t chasing awards and box office.
Zil. Dude. Damien\’s main character in whiplash was based on his experience as a musician. It\’s more or less autobiographical. Stop it.
meaning he wasn\’t HOT enough
Thank god Watson left this project for a better one with Tom Hanks, and shes already going to sing in Beauty and the Beast.
You mean such a downgrade, right?
I clicked on this story expecting to read that he got the news from J.K. Simmons in character as Terence Fletcher. I\’m a little disappointed that he didn\’t.
@Zil – Do you really subscribe to that kind of \’jazz provincialism?\’ I can\’t speak to Whiplash, but if anything, the face of jazz has become more multicultural, more culturally infused than ever before: Latin, Asian, Indian, continental African influences. In the NYC jazz community, especially, where on any given night, you\’ll see famed quartets (trios, et al.) led by a Nigerian vocalist, a Chinese pianist, African American drummer, a white sax player…
I love Miles. He is the one that brightens up the movies he is in. As a matter of fact, a great actor will make you believe he is the character which I think is what happened to the author of the Esquire piece. Acknowledge his talent to act because he is one of the best if not the heat right now. Directors and producers will lose a lot of money believing esquire – like commentators. Miles is loved by the millions.
a white actor is not creatively right for the project, gosling or teller or otherwise. friends who play jazz professionally thought whiplash was a joke. the jazz community is still an african american community that some white people prove themselves in from time to time. much like rap. but it\’s not the same when they do. the white players are almost statistically insignificant and usually have a socioeconomic privilege that lowers the stakes to the point of the pursuit being a glorified hobby. it\’s bizarre he didn\’t recast with michael b jordan but i suspect he\’s going for dumb busby berkeley conceit that will cost 30m+ and they want a high budget. either way, miles teller is great, and his reputation off screen really doesn\’t matter.
This director must of hated the shit out of fantastic four lol
Can we plz not gift this dude with a "Hollywood bad boy" reputation or whatever? That\’s exactly what he\’s after.