Jesse Plemons says landing his Killers Of The Flower Moon role felt like "every sort of Christmas holiday rolled into one"
Plemons is set to appear as lead FBI investigator Tom White in Martin Scorsese' newest film
As we wrote last year, Jesse Plemons is more than ready for his leading role. Now, in a talk with his Judas And The Black Messiah co-star, Daniel Kaluuya, Plemons talks about his second go-round with Martin Scorsese, and securing the role of the hero in the director’s forthcoming Killers Of The Flower Moon.
“The first time I worked with him [in 2019's The Irishman], it was a very specific role and function that I was playing. The only way I knew how to describe it was I felt like the kicker at the Super Bowl. It was just like, I know what I have to do,” Plemons says. “With Killers Of The Flower Moon, I had more time there. I read the book and was kind of living with it for a year or so, not knowing what part I was going to be.”
When the parts for Killers Of The Flower Moon were finally revealed, Plemons learned he would play lead Tom White over Leonardo DiCaprio, who opted to take on a supporting role in the film.
“When I found out it was Tom White, it felt like every sort of Christmas holiday rolled into one. The guy, at least the way he comes across in the book and in reading about him, he’s a superhero of morality. The guy is just a fucking beacon of justice. Obviously, he had his flaws like everyone, but I had built this character up so massively,” Plemon says. “As for working with Scorsese, he really gives you a lot of space, likes playing around, and is open to any ideas. He’s got an infectious excitement, even after all this time. It just seems like he can’t believe that this is what he gets to do with his life.”
The role of White was originally envisioned for DiCaprio, given the “heroic” qualities of the lead FBI agent investigator. Amidst the casting shakeup, DiCaprio landed on playing Ernest Burkhart, the nephew of a powerful rancher in the area (played by Robert De Niro).
Screenwriter Eric Roth later commented on the casting changes, saying DiCaprio was pulled more toward Burkhart, and both roles could be considered equal in the film. However, these changes were reportedly the reason behind Paramount selling the project to Apple. They’re gonna look pretty silly when Plemons knocks it out of the park.