Hollywood is all about missed opportunities and forfeited roles. But losing out on a passion project? Now that’s a whole different ball game. And for Christina Ricci, the prospect of not starring in 2006’s Black Snake Moan was so unbearable, that she decided to give up acting altogether should she not get the film.
See also: Wednesday: Christina Ricci Praises Jenna Ortega’s Performance
Black Snake Moan – Christina Ricci Was Ready to Lose It All
Craig Brewer’s Black Snake Moan is a heart-wrenching drama that strives to bring damaged souls together and transforms them into something beautiful instead. It narrates the story of a religious former blues guitarist as he starts tending to a young nymphomaniac after finding her battered and unconscious on the road outside his farm.
The movie comprises an ensemble cast of Wednesday star Christina Ricci, MCU veteran Samuel L. Jackson, actor/singer Justin Timberlake, and Law & Order actress S. Epatha Merkerson.
While the film would go on to drown in the red shade of disaster at the box office and receive mixed reviews from critics, it was still an incredibly important project for Ricci, who wanted to be a part of it more than anything else. So much so that she told her therapist she’d quit the film industry if she failed to get the part.
“I just felt really passionate about the subject matter and the issues. If ever there was a role that could point out the reason I’m an actress it was this one. I even told my therapist, if I didn’t get the part, I was going to quit because I would have no idea what it was that people in this industry wanted from me.”
The snag in the road, as it turned out, was her physical appearance, which, as per the filmmakers, seemed in contrast to the character they had in mind.
Why She Didn’t Even Get the Chance to Audition for the Role
As reported by Cheatsheet, “Because of her looks, she wasn’t even considered for an audition.” While the character, Rae Doole, has blonde hair and a face embellished with freckles, Ricci, 43, seemed to have a more “distinctive look.” So, since the filmmakers had a very different appearance in mind, the actress believed it would end up robbing her of the chance to even get an audition.
“I think they just didn’t feel I looked, well, Middle America enough,” Ricci admitted. “She’s described as having freckles and blond hair and I’m seen as having a very distinctive look – even though I think I look like every other Irish-Italian girl that you see but… whatever.”
But alas, the Gods of Fate seemed to be in her favor because things ended up working out eventually. One of the producers of the film persuaded the director to give Ricci a try after coming across The Addams Family alum by accident. And lo and behold, she finally got to audition for the part, ultimately landing the project as the leading woman.
Black Snake Moan is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Total Film
