The “terrible” role Channing Tatum agreed to when drunk: “Yeah, I’ll do it, no problem”
Looking back on the history of cinema, comedic actors have always been some of the most versatile in the industry, able to flex their performance muscles in almost each and every genre that demands their presence. From Peter Sellers and Buster Keaton to Bill Murray and Robin Williams, all the way through to Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, often the very best movie comedians are underrated in their field.
Tatum may feel like the odd one out in the list of icons mentioned above, and while this may, indeed, be true, underestimate his comedy chops at your peril. While he may certainly lack the comedy pedigree, having only relatively recently stepped into the world of comedy, Tatum has shown in the few roles he has thrived in just how much of a commanding on-screen performer he can be.
Having entered the industry as a dancer and star of rom-com fodder, it wouldn’t be until 2012 that Tatum would fully commit himself to comedy, appearing alongside Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street. After receiving critical and cultural acclaim almost instantly, Tatum became a regular Hollywood funnyman, lending his voice to the role of Superman in the Lego franchise while providing some comedy relief in Quentin Tarantino’s western mystery Hateful Eight.
Yet, in that time, Tatum also got caught up in the popular crowd of Hollywood comedians, being cast in a small part in 2013’s This is the End, a film that put an ironic stop to the era of blockbuster comedy movies. Featuring a grand ensemble that included the likes of Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride and Jay Baruchel, the film was also famous for its multitude of split-second cameos from such icons as Rihanna, Emma Watson, and Tatum, too.
Accepting the role when he was drunk, Tatum admitted during an interview with Conan O’Brien, “I probably had too much to drink the night that I got the email at, like, three in the morning. I think they were already filming.” Indeed, Tatum’s role was not as flattering as the likes of Watson and Rihanna who appear as versions of their real-life selves. Instead, the 21 Jump Street star was chosen to play the canine gimp of Danny McBride’s antagonist.
Continuing, the actor exclaimed: “I don’t know why I even picked it up, and then I read the email, and it was from Seth Rogen… It said, ‘Hey, I hope this isn’t insulting, but we had this idea on set for a cameo. It involves you, Danny McBride and Mexican wrestling masks and a leash.’ I think I must have been on Ambien or drunk or something, and I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it, no problem.’”
Many fans of the landmark movie call it a favourite scene, but Tatum himself isn’t too sure how to internalise it, going on to call the role a “terrible idea” when speaking on the talk show. Yet, the role certainly gave him further visibility and demonstrated, if nothing else, that he was willing to go the extra mile for comedic effect.
