Javier Bardem Ditches Role In Coppola Film

Javier Bardem decided to pull out of his latest film, Francis Ford Coppola's Tetro. And it might be a blessing in disguise, since the role was then given to a woman. Coppola orginally intended for the part to be played by a male, but then decided to re-write the character after Bardem pulled out. Maybe Javier was feeling the same way. Spanish actress Carmen Maura accepted the role.

Coppola says, "One of the important roles in the script is a mentor and teacher to Tetro, and I originally wrote it for a man. As I read and re-read the script, I felt that the interaction between the two characters would be far more intriguing if they were of the opposite sex."