When Brett Favre recently announced his retirement from football (again), speculation began almost immediately that he would finally be coaxed into making his long-anticipated return to Hollywood.
For years, fans and film critics have urged the multi-talented Favre to hang up his shoulder pads and concentrate on his blossoming acting career. But his fruitless pursuit of another Super Bowl ring delayed his transition from an aging NFL quarterback to an A-list movie actor. That is, until now.
Favre burst onto the scene in the 1998 comedy, “There’s Something about Mary,” a 20th Century Fox film that grossed over $170 million in US theaters. Favre showcased a rare combination of comedic timing and leading-man charisma that overshadowed his more seasoned co-stars, and left audiences wanting more.
But surprisingly, Favre turned his back on Hollywood and continued toiling in the unforgiving and low-profile sport of professional football.
Directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly have been trying to create a sequel to the hit film for much of the past decade, but studio execs refused to green light the project unless Favre was involved. His co-stars from the original film, Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon were all signed on to the sequel, but Favre’s football career kept delaying production.
“Every spring for the past 5 years, he’d retire from football, and I’d have an updated script sent to him at his off-season home in Hattiesburg, Mississipp,i” Bobby Farelly said. “Sure, he had a few creative suggestions, like more romantic scenes for his character with Mary” [Cameron Diaz].
“But he genuinely seemed ready to commit to us, so we cleared our schedule to start production. Unfortunately, in the end, every year was the same. He’d change his mind and go back to football. So we had to wait.”
Reasons for Favre’s involvement being crucial to the film’s potential success was obvious. “He’s box office gold” said one executive who had also been trying to lure him to several action/adventure roles at for a competing studio. “With his rugged good looks, southern charm and amazing knack for comedy, it would be foolish not to pursue such an unusual talent.”
Late last summer, in a desperate attempt to secure Brett’s services, 20th Century Fox bigwigs sent Stiller and the Farrelly brothers on a private jet, showing up unannounced at Favre’s secluded Mississippi ranch. They pleaded for him to fly back with them and start production on the movie, but…as Stiller said, “He just seemed so uncertain, so we decided to give him some space.” Just a few days later, they were devastated to learn that he agreed to play another football season with the Vikings, delaying their project even further.
Stiller, who has openly campaigned for Favre to return to the fold, is desperate to reprise the role of the lovable Ted Stroehmann. Close friends have said that if he has to do another “Meet the Parents” or “Night at the Museum” sequel, he may just throw in the towel and try working off Broadway instead.
After news of Favre’s latest retirement broke, a distraught Stiller urged Cameron Diaz to start courting Favre for the movie, hoping the attractive actress could do a better job persuading him than he did. Internet reports suggest that she sent several text messages to Favre, none of which were returned. However, that all changed earlier this week. Reps for Diaz confirmed Favre finally sent a private picture message to Diaz, but they wouldn’t comment on whether it included any kind of confirmation of his intentions to return to Hollywood.
When reporters finally caught up with Favre at a local Hattiesburg diner, and asked what the picture message entailed, Favre smiled, and stealing a line from his favorite movie, simply said “The Frank and beans, fellas. The Frank and Beans.”
Upon hearing the news, Stiller was delighted and told friends the photo was Favre’s personal way of agreeing to return. At press time, 20th Century Fox executives remained unconvinced.