Not many people know that I used to be very close with acclaimed director Akira Kurosawa. It started out as the kind of unique collaboration between director and actor that you don’t see anymore (Scorsese and DeNiro being the exception).
And in 1985, he and I began what I hoped was going to be the first of many projects together: a film starring, and about me, with the simple title, “Ron.”
I dug up an old photo showing the two of us on the set (you have to look closely to see me).
Things didn’t work out.
During the first week of shooting, we were on a break and lunching in our trailer, and we started to talk about future projects. I suggested that he remake “The Seven Samurai”, but starring me, and re-title it: “The 9 ¾ Samurai.”
In my life I’ve never seen anyone become as angry as he did. Within minutes, Security was throwing me off the set, and Akira and I never spoke again.
The bastard recast the movie with Tasuya Kakadai in the lead, and had the nerve to keep the title (changing the middle letter so he wouldn’t get sued.)
There is a happy ending, though. That movie starring me, about me? It’s called "One-Eyed Monster", and it's coming out at the end of the month. And the icing on the cake? Akira is dead.
