Why did Madonna turn down Goodfellas?

[Mp1992 261]

I was just reading a piece of the 25th anniversary of my favorite movie, Goodfellas, published in 2015 and Director Martin Scorcese wanted Madonna for the role of Karen Hill, that Lorraine Bracco was cast and received an Oscar nomination for, and met with Madonna to offer her the part, backstage during her run in Speed The Plow in 1988, he even gave her a copy of the book the movie was being based on and she turned it down to do Dick Tracy

 

BAD choice as Goodfellas is considered one of THE great American films of the last 50 yeard.

[Mp1992 261]

Also Debi Mazar is of course in Goodfellas as one of Henry Hill's coke addicted mistresses.

[Guest]

A couple of things to keep in mind here.  Martin intended to direct the film before he directed "The Last Temptation of Christ", but when funding came through for that film, he put off "Goodfellas".  So I'm betting by the time Madonna was considered, she was already committed to Dick Tracy.  After all, the film was shot pretty much the same time Dick Tracy was being filmed. At the time of her Rolling Stone interview, in early 1989, she had already stated she was preparing to cut and dye her hair for the Breathless Mahoney role. 

 

At the same time, Madonna was campaigning for the role of "Mary" in The Godfather, so it's possible she was preferring to get that role instead. 

[me1981 1,358]

I totally forgot about this one, will add to the list I have in the other thread, thanks.

 

It was announced Madonna scored Dick Tracy around December 1988.

 

Goodfellas didn't start filming until May 1989, while Dick Tracy began in Feb 89. Possibly Scorsese was not ready by the time Madonna was and so she had to just make a choice. 

[Guest]

I totally forgot about this one, will add to the list I have in the other thread, thanks.

 

It was announced Madonna scored Dick Tracy around December 1988.

 

Goodfellas didn't start filming until May 1989, while Dick Tracy began in Feb 89. Possibly Scorsese was not ready by the time Madonna was and so she had to just make a choice. 

As mentioned above, I don't think it was much of a choice. She was having a lot of films thrown at her at the time.  No one could be sure "Goodfellas" was going to be a huge success it was.  Also, live actions films were becoming very popular, so I understood why she chose "Dick Tracy" if it was even a choice between the two.  I suspect it wasn't until after Scorsese was filming "Last Temptation..." that he decided to ask Madonna. If he had gone ahead and filmed it when he originally planned, Madonna still wouldn't have been a part of it.

[Mp1992 261]

Paul Sorvino, who had virtually all his scenes with Madonna as Lips Manlis in Dick Tracy also appeared in Goodfellas as Paulie.

 

I know Madonna was invited and went to the Goodfellas premiere with Tony Ward and she has since said it was one of her favorite movies.

 

There's also a clip out there of her and Michael Jackson going to the 1991 post Oscars party and Madonna was asked "What did you think of the show", "It was great except Goodfellas should of won Best Picture". Was it another diss at Kevin Costner, whose Dances With Wolves won Best Picture that year.

[Guest]

Paul Sorvino, who had virtually all his scenes with Madonna as Lips Manlis in Dick Tracy also appeared in Goodfellas as Paulie.

 

I know Madonna was invited and went to the Goodfellas premiere with Tony Ward and she has since said it was one of her favorite movies.

 

There's also a clip out there of her and Michael Jackson going to the 1991 post Oscars party and Madonna was asked "What did you think of the show", "It was great except Goodfellas should of won Best Picture". Was it another diss at Kevin Costner, whose Dances With Wolves won Best Picture that year.

So it very well could have been a matter of her being already committed to other things by the time "GoodFellas" was to be filmed.  She tended to take a lot of offbeat roles throughout her career and either passed or unfortunately had other commitments when much better roles were offered or available to her.  And she also tends to sabotage her chances when she tries to demand for certain changes in script, etc. with the director on board.  If only she had starred in some bigger successes in the 80's and early 90's, she probably would have had more pull in the film industry. 

[me1981 1,358]

The interesting thing is after DSS Madonna was commanding a $1Million salary. Sean was on about the same. She basically could have owned the film industry if her follow up had been better, like Ruthless People (would have worked with Sean as the husband) Though both Bette Midler and Danny DeVito thought Ruthless was a pile of shit when they first saw it, lol, so maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

 

If she had gotten over her desire to film Evita as an Operetta I think she would have had a blockbuster on her hands by the late 80's and if WTG? had more time to develop the script and James Foley had reigned Madonna's performance in more it would have worked. Madonna stated she had originally played Nikki much darker (in rehearsals) but Griffin Dunne was having trouble playing off her, so she ramped up the energy level. I wish she had played it down a little bit more. The scenes in the Penthouse (with John Mills) show just how good she could have been in that movie.

 

With DSS, Ruthless (or something similar), WTG (with changes I mentioned) and Evita Madonna would have been right on top in the 80's.

 

I think she just wanted to be a movie star at that point, she was basically fitting movies into her music career, instead of really searching for good films with a great director/writer. Everyone was falling over themselves to put her in a film after DSS, instead she was in love and wanted to just make a movie with Sean.

[Guest]

The interesting thing is after DSS Madonna was commanding a $1Million salary. Sean was on about the same. She basically could have owned the film industry if her follow up had been better, like Ruthless People (would have worked with Sean as the husband) Though both Bette Midler and Danny DeVito thought Ruthless was a pile of shit when they first saw it, lol, so maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

 

If she had gotten over her desire to film Evita as an Operetta I think she would have had a blockbuster on her hands by the late 80's and if WTG? had more time to develop the script and James Foley had reigned Madonna's performance in more it would have worked. Madonna stated she had originally played Nikki much darker (in rehearsals) but Griffin Dunne was having trouble playing off her, so she ramped up the energy level. I wish she had played it down a little bit more. The scenes in the Penthouse (with John Mills) show just how good she could have been in that movie.

 

With DSS, Ruthless (or something similar), WTG (with changes I mentioned) and Evita Madonna would have been right on top in the 80's.

 

I think she just wanted to be a movie star at that point, she was basically fitting movies into her music career, instead of really searching for good films with a great director/writer. Everyone was falling over themselves to put her in a film after DSS, instead she was in love and wanted to just make a movie with Sean.

While I agree she was over the top in WTG,  it wasn't her acting or her portrayal of Niki Finn that was the problem. In fact, that character was the best part of the film.  It was the plot and story line that was just plain dumb.  But I still love the movie. It's actually one of my favorite films from her.  I  never really got the fuss over DSS. I've always thought it was slow and boring at times. But of course, Madonna looked stunning in it.  Her character was iconic, but it wasn't really a great film in my perspective.  Her follow ups in the 80's weren't necessarily her being a bad actress. It was just she was in some bad movies. But eventually she tried way too hard, and never convinced me of being a very good actress. But man she had great screen presence. 

[me1981 1,358]

While I agree she was over the top in WTG,  it wasn't her acting or her portrayal of Niki Finn that was the problem. In fact, that character was the best part of the film.  It was the plot and story line that was just plain dumb.  But I still love the movie. It's actually one of my favorite films from her.  I  never really got the fuss over DSS. I've always thought it was slow and boring at times. But of course, Madonna looked stunning in it.  Her character was iconic, but it wasn't really a great film in my perspective.  Her follow ups in the 80's weren't necessarily her being a bad actress. It was just she was in some bad movies. But eventually she tried way too hard, and never convinced me of being a very good actress. But man she had great screen presence. 

I agree, the script was the ultimate issue, but also James Foley. I don't think he really knew what he was doing. So it is like a lot of good ideas that never come together. She needed a stronger director who could whip the script in shape and tie it together better. A good director will know the script has issues and know the best writer to fix it. 

 

Though from everything i have heard the turn around on the film was extremely fast, the press was reporting the script had issues one week and would need revisions, then the next she is on set filming.

 

This is also one of my faves

[Guest]

I agree, the script was the ultimate issue, but also James Foley. I don't think he really knew what he was doing. So it is like a lot of good ideas that never come together. She needed a stronger director who could whip the script in shape and tie it together better. A good director will know the script has issues and know the best writer to fix it. 

 

Though from everything i have heard the turn around on the film was extremely fast, the press was reporting the script had issues one week and would need revisions, then the next she is on set filming.

 

This is also one of my faves

The script was a mess. Not sure if anyone could have turned that one around or want to touch it, especially any serious Director.  James Foley directed a number of great films, especially "At Close Range".  So I can't necessarily say he was the problem either. He pretty much did the film as a favor to Madonna.