Director Chuck Russell Helped Make Jim Carrey and Dwayne Johnson Movie Stars — His Horror Remake ‘Witchboard’ Inspired Him More Than Ever: ‘I Wanted to Outdo Myself’
variety.comWilliam Earl administrator Over his 40-year career, director Chuck Russell has had a knack for turning hungry young talent into movie stars, regularly conjuring memorable performances.
He advocated for Patricia Arquette to be the lead in her first film role, 1987’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.” He made Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz household names in his 1994 blockbuster “The Mask” — knowing Diaz was perfect even though it was her first movie.
And he helped transition Dwayne Johnson from wrestling to the acting world by having him star in the 2002 epic “The Scorpion King.” No matter the genre, scope or budget, Russell loves seeing what raw talent can achieve — a fascination he picked up while cutting his teeth in the world of theater. “We have to humanize these things, whether it’s action or comedy or drama,” he says. “You gotta get into your performers’ heads.
You gotta get their actual personality into their performances.” Russell is currently talking about “Witchboard,” his new film, and a remake of the 1986 cult classic, which has its world premiere Friday at Montreal’s Fantasia Festival.
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