Crockett's Metro Dade Career

[vicegirl85]

3 hours ago, Glades said:

The Pilot script says that Tubbs is in his mid-twenties, his brother Raphael in his mid-thirties, Crockett 34, and Rodriguez in his mid-forties.

I conclude from this, that DJ was set as Crockett, while they were looking for a suitable casts for the others.
And also, that a dynamic in the team was planned with Crockett in the middle between the younger Tubbs (young professional, still without his own family) and the older Rodriguez (mature family man, who has found his place in life and profession).  And Crockett is stuck in the problems with family and job.

Obviously, though, they didn't find an actor for Tubbs in his mid-twenties. And in the end they took PMT.

Based on contemporary sources from the early season(s) of the show, I don't believe the casting was firmed up so early re:  DJ's selection as Crockett.  DJ himself has stated that it was only when he read a scene with PMT that the producers/ casting director/ whoever had the decision, recognized that he was Crockett and PMT was Tubbs.  Of course it's possible that wasn't completely true, but it's what was stated at the time, and I've never seen anything to the contrary. 

[Glades]

1 hour ago, vicegirl85 said:

Based on contemporary sources from the early season(s) of the show, I don't believe the casting was firmed up so early re:  DJ's selection as Crockett.  DJ himself has stated that it was only when he read a scene with PMT that the producers/ casting director/ whoever had the decision, recognized that he was Crockett and PMT was Tubbs.  Of course it's possible that wasn't completely true, but it's what was stated at the time, and I've never seen anything to the contrary. 

I wasn't there at the time and of course don't know when exactly DJ got his committment. In the end, I don't think it's essential either.
I have two hints that DJ was thought of early on.
The one hint is actually the description of Crockett in the Pilot's script. It is more accurate than the one for any other team member and fits DJ perfectly.
The other hint is a statement from someone who did the casting, which is in the bonus material on the DVD. This lady tells us that she was instructed to find someone else other than DJ for Crockett. It seems to me that they had DJ in mind for Crockett, but didn't quite have the heart to cast him and were looking for alternatives.
I think that also fits with your memories that DJ did not actually get the commitment until later on.

Edited February 14, 2021 by Glades

[Robbie C.]

2 hours ago, vicegirl85 said:

According to interviews with EJO that I've seen, his control extended farther than that.  EJO indicated he insisted on full control of his character, including his backstory.

Yep, and it's obvious when you compare Castillo to pretty much any other character on the show.

[sdiegolo78]

23 hours ago, vicegirl85 said:

According to interviews with EJO that I've seen, his control extended farther than that.  EJO indicated he insisted on full control of his character, including his backstory.

Was that the reason of his feud with DJ?

[Dadrian]

35 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

Was that the reason of his feud with DJ?

Seems like it was kind of an ego thing—like one or the other wasn’t gonna give in. I can’t recall the interview. @Tom?

edit: check this out

or was this posted above?

Edited February 15, 2021 by Dadrian

[Bren10]

EJO expected a level of respect while in character. For instance, he expected DJ to knock first before entering his office and closing the door on his way out. This apparently grated on DJ who was the star of the show and usually let everybody know it.

[sdiegolo78]

19 minutes ago, Dadrian said:

Seems like it was kind of an ego thing—like one or the other wasn’t gonna give in. I can’t recall the interview. @Tom?

edit: check this out

or was this posted above?

Were those on the table Lt.Rodriguez smoking pipes?

[sdiegolo78]

1 minute ago, Bren10 said:

EJO expected a level of respect while in character. For instance, he expected DJ to knock first before entering his office and closing the door on his way out. This apparently grated on DJ who was the star of the show and usually let everybody know it.

EJO a real method actor

[Tom]

vor 38 Minuten schrieb Dadrian:

Seems like it was kind of an ego thing—like one or the other wasn’t gonna give in. I can’t recall the interview. @Tom?

edit: check this out

or was this posted above?

Very simple explanation. A bit of ego thing but mainly EJO´s special contract.

EJO was the only actor who got a non-exclusive contract with artistic control over his character. That was his condition to Michael Mann, otherwise he would not have signed. MM called him twenty times with new higher salary offers to convince him as EJO wanted to stay independent with theater and smaller gigs.

Artistic control meant that EJO alone decided what Castillo would wear, what his background is, what his office looked like, etc. An non exclusive meant that EJO was as only actor allowed to do other projects next to VICE during the season (what he never did as far as I know, as Stand and Deliver and other movies he did were filmed during season breaks) and he could cancel his contract anytime with 2 months notice so that MM could start writing him out on time if he wanted to leave.

Why was that the reason of the blow up with DJ? Because DJ was used to co-direct on set AND he did not know that EJO had received this special contract. When EJO showed up and said I wanted the door shut and Crockett needs to knock, DJ believed this was just an unjustified crazy ego trip of EJO and rejected to film on. The producers had to tell him about the special situation before he returned. Then, there was this story that DJ and EJO did not look at each other for several episodes. Maybe a bit exaggerated. EJO also said that his first scene´s behaviour ("Never get so close to me again, detective" to Tubbs when they found Carrow´s body) was not in the script and PMT really wanted to get onto him after that, but I think that was a bit exaggerated as well.

But, it for sure is a fact that DJ was quite convinced of his special status in the show and did not like being challenged by others. Crew members said that he often threw a tantrum when things went not his way. A few years ago DJ admitted that he had quite an attitude at that time ("which was the 80s you know and everyone had an attitude") and had learned of it.

P.S. when EJO was allowed to direct Bushido (because no director was available and production faced a long shutdown), DJ also reacted annoyed. So they appeased him by letting him direct the next episode, Back in the world.

 

 

[Glades]

17 minutes ago, Tom said:

EJO also said that his first scene´s behaviour ("Never get so close to me again, detective" to Tubbs when they found Carrow´s body) was not in the script and PMT really wanted to get onto him after that, but I think that was a bit exaggerated as well.

This scene is in the script pretty much exactly as it appears in the episode. Especially concerning the dialogue. Because EJO tells about it so in particular, it interested me very much and I read it up.
The only and big difference is that Castillo according to the script was supposed to shove Tubbs in addition, but instead remained calm and showed his staring glance.

[sdiegolo78]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

Very simple explanation. A bit of ego thing but mainly EJO´s special contract.

EJO was the only actor who got a non-exclusive contract with artistic control over his character. That was his condition to Michael Mann, otherwise he would not have signed. MM called him twenty times with new higher salary offers to convince him as EJO wanted to stay independent with theater and smaller gigs.

Artistic control meant that EJO alone decided what Castillo would wear, what his background is, what his office looked like, etc. An non exclusive meant that EJO was as only actor allowed to do other projects next to VICE during the season (what he never did as far as I know, as Stand and Deliver and other movies he did were filmed during season breaks) and he could cancel his contract anytime with 2 months notice so that MM could start writing him out on time if he wanted to leave.

Why was that the reason of the blow up with DJ? Because DJ was used to co-direct on set AND he did not know that EJO had received this special contract. When EJO showed up and said I wanted the door shut and Crockett needs to knock, DJ believed this was just an unjustified crazy ego trip of EJO and rejected to film on. The producers had to tell him about the special situation before he returned. Then, there was this story that DJ and EJO did not look at each other for several episodes. Maybe a bit exaggerated. EJO also said that his first scene´s behaviour ("Never get so close to me again, detective" to Tubbs when they found Carrow´s body) was not in the script and PMT really wanted to get onto him after that, but I think that was a bit exaggerated as well.

But, it for sure is a fact that DJ was quite convinced of his special status in the show and did not like being challenged by others. Crew members said that he often threw a tantrum when things went not his way. A few years ago DJ admitted that he had quite an attitude at that time ("which was the 80s you know and everyone had an attitude") and had learned of it.

P.S. when EJO was allowed to direct Bushido (because no director was available and production faced a long shutdown), DJ also reacted annoyed. So they appeased him by letting him direct the next episode, Back in the world.

 

 

In my opinion, that first meeting on set with DJ was some blessing on disguise, in a way it helped EJO do something great for his character. That is when he started not looking at DJ and PMT in the eyes, but rather looking at the wall in front of him in the scenes together.

[Tom]

vor 2 Minuten schrieb sdiegolo78:

In my opinion, that first meeting on set with DJ was some blessing on disguise, in a way it helped EJO do something great for his character. That is when he started not looking at DJ and PMT in the eyes, but rather looking at the wall in front of him in the scenes together.

I think EJO deserves credit for creating Castillo´s character like he did, after he correctly recognized that the typical buddy-lieutenant Lou Rodriguez was a liability to the series anyway and needed to be replaced by a different type of successor. 

[sdiegolo78]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

I think EJO deserves credit for creating Castillo´s character like he did, after he correctly recognized that the typical buddy-lieutenant Lou Rodriguez was a liability to the series anyway and needed to be replaced by a different type of successor. 

True and I wouldn't see EJO playing buddy lieutenant, especially with DJ!

[vicegirl85]

5 hours ago, sdiegolo78 said:

Was that the reason of his feud with DJ?

I'm not sure it was actually a "feud."  As Tom and others have said, EJO was given free rein to mold the character of Castillo, which I can well imagine came as a surprise to DJ (and others in the cast, probably).  DJ likely wasn't too pleased that someone else was getting more creative freedom, and I'm sure he had his own ideas, as Tom said.  But for the outcome of the scene, in my opinion we shouldn't assume that the character interactions reflected the relationships between the actors.  They were actors playing roles.  Some actors prefer to maintain their role relationships off-camera (although perhaps more for films instead of TV shows).  Some are close friends off-set, even if their characters aren't.

In real life any of them may have been friends, or may have had little in the way of common interests.  Maybe they didn't like each other.  But if we believe they were acting in any given scene on the show, that really tells us nothing about their true feelings toward each other. 

[AndrewRemington]

21 hours ago, Dadrian said:

Seems like it was kind of an ego thing—like one or the other wasn’t gonna give in. I can’t recall the interview. @Tom?

edit: check this out

or was this posted above?

This is kind of saddening hearing about DJ this way, but there’s always two sides to every story. Don is the top-billed actor on the show, and even though the show wasn’t on long at the time of “One Eyed Jack,” I’m sure he didn’t want some new cast member to boss him around or say how things need be done. Castillo may be Crockett’s boss, but EJO isn’t DJ’s boss.