Whoopi Goldberg got western role after ‘arguing’
Whoopi Goldberg landed her latest film role after storming out of her house to complain about noisy on-set activity on her street.
The Color Purple star, who has taken the part of Stagecoach Mary in director Mario Van Peebles’ western, Outlaw Posse, is said to have yelled at the crew before she ended up chatting to the film-maker about her future in acting before he offered her the role.
Van Peebles, 67, probably best known for directing and starring in New Jack City alongside Ice-T, 66, told Page Six: “I did not cast Whoopi. Whoopi cast herself. I was directing a show on the (Hulu drama) Wu-Tang: An American Saga in New Jersey, and this neighbour came over all irate yelling, ‘Who is making all that racket?’ and it was Whoopi.”
He added: “When she realised I was directing, I asked her what do you want do next, and she said, ‘I want do a western’, and I said, ‘I’m getting ready to do a western.’ Then she said, ‘Do you know who Stagecoach
Mary is?’ and I said, ‘Yes.’” Stagecoach Mary was a mail carrier who became the first black woman to be employed as a major route postwoman in the US.
Van Peebles added: “She did not do it for free. I still had to pay her, and I would not want her to do it for free, but she did it for the right reasons. I have my own rule when it comes to casting for a movie: no matter who or what the person is… if we were all at camp and we were 12 years old, would I wanna play with you? If the answer is yes...then, yes, you are in the movie.”
A private screening of the new western was held at Regal Union Square Theatre last week and was attended by Goldberg, French Montana and Joey Bada$$.
Also starring in the film are Neal McDonough, Edward James Olmos, Cedric The Entertainer, Cam Gigandet, DC Young Fly and John Carroll Lynch.