Pfeiffer, who is now a 62-year-old veteran actress, has revealed in her latest interview that she was offered to star as the protagonist “Clarice Starling” in the Anthony Hopkins starrer “The Silence of the Lambs.” She explained in her recent interview that she had to reject the role because the script of the film was way too evil for her liking.
She added that she did not wish that the world should see such a film, so she refrained from being a part of it.
In her latest interview, she became honest about the offer, which ultimately went to Jodie Foster. Pfeiffer has recently been in conversation with “The New Yorker” and has openly talked about her legendary career, which has spanned over several decades. The actress has said that she did receive an offer to star in the film “The Silence of the Lambs” as Clarice Starling alongside Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lector. She has explained in the interview that she turned down the offer because the film was way too dark for her.
She further added that “The Silence of the Lambs” did make her enormously anxious because the evil pervading throughout the film was way too much.
The reporter then went deep and asked about the part of the film which made her feel nervous about acting in it. She gave an interesting response and said that it was not only the evil part that made her feel nervous. It was all about the climax. She felt that she could not associate herself with a project that lets a bad guy win at the end.
She did not want the world to see a film in which the evil character rules at the end.
If you have seen the film, you would know that it was all about Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling seeking help from an incarcerated yet genius and a menacing serial killer named “Hannibal Lecter”(played by Anthony Hopkins, who also won an Academy Award for his performance) in the hunt of another serial killer named “Buffalo Bill” (played by Ted Levine) who brutally kills and dumps his victims.
Well, Jodie Foster can be glad that Pfeiffer turned down the role. Isn’t it? Jodie Foster not only impressed all the fans and critics, but she also went on to win her first Academy Award at the 1992 Oscars.
In fact, the film was a darling at the Oscars, and it also bagged the highly coveted Best Picture prize among other awards.
A direct sequel to the film titled “Clarice” is being produced by CBS Television. The show will omit the Hannibal Lecter part, and it will directly focus on Clarice Starling.
It was only in the year 2019 that she revealed on Today’s show that she had also rejected offers for some films, which later turned out to be fan favorites. The film she had turned down over the years includes “Pretty Woman,” “Basic Instinct,” and “Thelma & Louise.”
She also added that the reason for rejection is not always that you do not want to be part of it. There are other reasons, which includes fights, other commitments, scheduling issues, etc.