Who's that man between Jack Black and Ben Stiller in this scene from the upcoming comedy?

Spoiler: show

If you don't recognize that African-American actor standing between Jack Black and Ben Stiller, there's a good reason: He's white. In Tropic Thunder, an epic action comedy co-written and directed by Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. plays Kirk Lazarus, a very serious Oscar-winning actor cast in the most expensive Vietnam War film ever. Problem is, Lazarus's character, Sgt. Osiris, was originally written as black. So Lazarus decides to dye his skin and play Osiris, um, authentically. Funny? Sure. Dangerous? That's an understatement. ''If it's done right, it could be the type of role you called Peter Sellers to do 35 years ago,'' Downey says. ''If you don't do it right, we're going to hell.''
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not sure if this is funny, offensive or

The film marks Stiller's first directing effort since 2001's Zoolander. With Thunder (opening Aug. 15), he takes aim at the sweetest target of all: actors. Downey plays one of a team of self-indulgent stars cast in the modern equivalent of Apocalypse Now. Stiller plays an action hero who has just adopted a baby from Asia but worries that ''all the good ones are gone.'' Black portrays a comedian known for performing multiple roles in a single film — his latest is called The Fatties: Fart 2. But when the film's director (Steve Coogan) and writer (Nick Nolte) get fed up with their prima donna cast, they drop them into the jungle to fend for themselves. The actors think they're doing some sort of full-immersion filmmaking, but the danger they're in is very real.

Stiller got the idea for Thunder more than 20 years ago while shooting a small part in Steven Spielberg's WWII drama Empire of the Sun. He's continued to develop the script as his own star has risen, which makes taking on his brethren all the richer — watch for cameos from Tom Cruise and Tobey Maguire — and all the more perilous. For starters, Hollywood satires have a rocky box office record. And then there's that little issue of a white guy playing a black guy. Stiller says that he and Downey always stayed focused on the fact that they were skewering insufferable actors, not African-Americans. ''I was trying to push it as far as you can within reality,'' Stiller explains. ''I had no idea how people would respond to it.'' He recently screened a rough cut of the film and it scored high with African-Americans. He was relieved at the reaction. ''It seems people really embrace it,'' he says.

Paramount is hoping so: The studio plans to debut the trailer online March 17, and Downey is all over it. (In one scene, he tries to bond with a real African-American castmate by quoting the theme song from The Jeffersons.) Downey, meanwhile, is confident he never crossed the line. ''At the end of the day, it's always about how well you commit to the character,'' he says. ''I dove in with both feet. If I didn't feel it was morally sound, or that it would be easily misinterpreted that I'm just C. Thomas Howell in [Soul Man], I would've stayed home.''

that's pretty interesting, actually

I can't remember the last time I've actually been excited for a Ben Stiller movie. This has the potential for greatness.

Yeah this looks pretty good.

What's that Hulk Hogan show called again?

hahahaha Thunder in Paradise...that was the first thing i thought of when i saw this thread

I wasn't so sure this looked good after the first trailer. I'm sold after this one.

http://www.tropicthunder.com/restrictedgate/site.php

Yea I've heard several people say that now. I don't know, I think I actually thought the first trailer was quite a bit funnier, hearing all the fucks already certainly didn't do anything.

Jack Black farting + Simple Jack + Ben Stiller throwing kid off bridge = comedy gold.

You can see how sophisticated my tastes are.

this has great potential.

Man I seriously couldn't tell you the last time that I saw anything come from MTV that entertained me in any way, shape or form (well, not that I've even bothered trying in years to see if they even could), but I just now caught online the little "viral video" that apparently was a part of the Movie Awards, with Stiller, Downey Jr and Black revolving around this film, and I laughed my fucking ass off

I love Downey Jr, I wanna have his babies. He's such an incredible actor and how far he's come back with his personal troubles and the sense of humor he's been able to have about it, I can't help it I just love the guy.

Anyway in case you didn't catch it...



And if you hear Downey's last line, just after the head explodes, "Yea I'm gonna roll, 'cause I got priors, so..."

I'm getting more and more excited for this movie. They've now even put together a trailer that's supposed to be for a mockumentary of the making of "Tropic Thunder" called "Rain Of Madness", obviously now satirizing Hearts Of Darkness. (well, I'm assuming that, I've still regrettably never actually have seen Darkness)

You can download a full HD version in 1080p quality here:

http://www.drfoster.f2s.com/

i'll definitely go see this. i love downey jr.

this thread is retarded.

There should be a QOTSA sub-forum inside this thread.