Steven Spielberg tells movie stars they need to follow one rule if they want to work with him
Topics: Steven Spielberg, Film and TV
Joe Yates
Featured Image Credit: Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Topics: Steven Spielberg, Film and TV
When working under the all-time Hollywood greats you should expect to adhere to their strict rules.
Steven Spielberg is no different. He tells movie stars they must follow one command if they are to work with him.
Although why are we surprised?
Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, Jaws, the Indiana Jones franchise... the 78-year-old will leave a staggering legacy behind when he finally decides to fold away his director's chair, and those are just from the 20th century.
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There's clearly method to his madness.
For those that are interested, since the 21st century, he has directed a further 16 films to date, with Catch Me If You Can, Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, and The Post also making up that list.
The three-time Oscar-winner's rule is that movie stars must not take a salary up front, and instead should gamble on the movie as he explains that is exactly what he does.
Speaking about Tom Cruise in 2002, and his starring role in Minority Report, he told The New Zealand Herald: "He took no money up front at all, not a cent and no guarantee that he will get money if the film doesn't perform.
"Tom Hanks took no cash for Saving Private Ryan but he made a lot of money on his profit participation."
He continued: "I haven't worked with many movie stars - 80 percent of my films don't have movie stars - and I've told them if they want to work with me I want them to gamble along with me.
"I haven't taken a salary in 18 years for a movie, so if my film makes no money I get no money. They should be prepared to do the same."
Reacting to his comments, one Redditor posted: "Doesn’t sound that big of a gamble at the time considering Spielberg was one of the biggest directors of 70s, 80s & 90s."
While a second added: "Yeah this makes sense especially if we are talking about movie stars like the title says meaning they aren’t struggling. And they get a chance to work with Steven Spielberg.
"Seems like a win-win."
Meanwhile, two-time Oscar-winner Christopher Nolan has a far more controversial rule... he bans chairs.
The 54-year-old views the luxury of sitting down as just that - a luxury, one that shouldn't be afforded at work.
Speaking about his rule to Variety in 2020, Anne Hathaway, who has worked with Nolan on Interstellar and The Dark Knight Rises, said: "[He] doesn’t allow chairs, and his reasoning is, if you have chairs, people will sit - and if they’re sitting, they’re not working."