Alice In Chains’ Jerry Cantrell has appeared in a few movies, but he regrets turning down the ‘Almost Famous’ role.
“He wanted me to be a bass player. One of my biggest regrets is turning Cameron Crowe down for his third consecutive movie,” the guitarist shared during a recent episode of The Adamantium Podcast.
Cantrell continued his words, “I was in a tough place, and I was also on tour supporting ‘Degradation Trip.’ But I regret it.”
Cameron Crowe wrote a detailed role for the bassist, who was ‘knowledgable’ and ‘uppity.’ Since Cantrell declined, Mark Kozelek from Sun Kil Moon got the part.
The rocker added, “He had the character written where I was a ‘[Paul] McCartney is God’ kind of dude, which he f*cking is. In a couple of conversations where bass players would come up, I’d come off the top turn buckle and say, ‘F*ck you, McCartney is a god’.”
The comedy coming-of-age film was inspired by Crowe’s time as a teenage music journalist in the early ’70s, touring with bands like Led Zeppelin, Eagles, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
‘Almost Famous,’ starring Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, and Kate Hudson, won the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album in 2001.
Cantrell was in Crowe’s 1992 film ‘Singles’ along with the remaining Alice In Chains members, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. He also had a role in Crowe’s 1996 movie ‘Jerry Maguire’ with Tom Cruise.
Cantrell recently played ‘Hate To Feel’ live for the first time in 30 years. He also said he talked with Metallica’s James Hetfield about making music together. In 2025, Cantrell will play solo at festivals, including Download in June.
