Quentin Tarantino is revealing that he wrote a role specifically for Adam Sandler for Inglorious Basterds but the comedic actor ultimately declined as he was already filming Judd Apatow’s Funny People.
Sgt. Donny “The Bear Jew” Donowitz that was played by Eli Roth in the 2009 war film was written for Sandler, Tarantino confirmed. The filmmaker made an appearance on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, where Apatow was also a guest, and dropped the fact.
Tarantino said that he had met Apatow during the time he filmed the cameo in Little Nicky, in which Sandler starred in.
“I feel bad because when I did Funny People with Sandler, I wasn’t aware that that was the exact time you were trying to use him for Inglorious Basterds,” Apatow said (via Collider).
Ultimately, despite Tarantino wanting Sandler to be in Inglorious Basterds, he said that Sandler doing Funny People was a better fit
“Obviously, he should’ve done yours because of the whole thing of it. I mean, you start with the f—ing video cassette of you guys as kids,” he said. “But yeah, the Bear Jew was going to… I wrote the Bear Jew for Adam Sandler. When I was doing Little Nicky, he’s telling me like, ‘Oh man, I get to f—ing beat up Nazis with a bat? F—ing script! F—ing awesome! I can’t f—ing wait! I can’t f—ing wait!’ He was like telling every Jewish guy, ‘I’m going to f—ing play this guy who beats up Nazis with a f—ing bat.’”
Tarantino then joked about Apatow nabbing all the best Jewish actors for his film saying, “Seth Rogen and all the good Jews were doing Funny People. I’m killing Hitler with baseball bats and there’s no good Jews available! David Krumholtz, nobody! All the good Jews were all wrapped up! I’m doing the Jewish male fantasy!”