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The Rewatchables · aired October 18, 2022
This Is the End, Tropic Thunder, and Reefer Madness are distinct choices.
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Cast
Selected cast credits · Film reference
Ben Stiller
Tugg Speedman: Once the highest-paid, highest-grossing action film star ever due to his Scorcher franchise, his popularity has faltered after attempting to take a more serious direction in his career, and he now has a reputation for appearing in nothing but box office bombs. After drawing negative coverage for his role in Simple Jack
Robert Downey Jr.
Kirk Lazarus: An Australian method actor and five-time Academy Award winner, Lazarus had a controversial "pigmentation alteration" surgery to temporarily darken his skin for his portrayal of the black character, Staff Sergeant Lincoln Osiris. Lazarus refuses to break character until he has recorded the DVD commentary for a part and only speaks in his character's African-American Vernacular English. Lazarus's faux trailer, Satan's Alley, is about two homosexual monks in a 12th-century Irish monastery, parodying films like Brokeback Mountain and Downey's own scenes with Tobey Maguire (who in a cameo portrays himself playing the other monk) in Wonder Boys. Downey said he modeled Lazarus on three actors: Russell Crowe, Daniel Day-Lewis and Colin Farrell. Lazarus was originally intended to be Irish, but Downey felt more comfortable using an Australian accent, since he had portrayed an Australian character in Natural Born Killers. Makeup effects creator Rick Baker designed and created Downey's Osiris makeup while John Blake and Greg Nelson handled the on-set application.
Jack Black
Jeff Portnoy: A drug-addicted comedian-actor well known for portraying multiple parts in films that rely on toilet humor, particularly jokes about flatulence
Jay Baruchel
Kevin Sandusky: A novice actor, he is the only cast member to have read the script and book and attended the assigned boot camp prior to the film. Sandusky plays a young soldier named Brooklyn in the film-within-a-film. Brooklyn and Sandusky each occupy the position of straight man in character in the film-within-a-film and its cast, being the only actor without an internal conflict or deep-seated insecurity. He often serves as a mediator when tensions between the cast get high.
Brandon T. Jackson
Alpa Chino: A closeted gay rapper who is attempting to cross over into acting, portraying a soldier named Motown, while promoting his "Bust-A-Nut" candy bar and "Booty Sweat" energy drink. He feels his image as a rapper would not allow him to be openly gay. His name is a play on Al Pacino. Kevin Hart turned down the role because he did not want to play a gay character.
Nick Nolte
Four Leaf Tayback: The author of Tropic Thunder
Steve Coogan
Damien Cockburn: The inexperienced British film director who is unable to control the actors in the film
Danny McBride
Cody Underwood: The film's explosives expert and helicopter pilot. He has developed a reputation for being a dangerous pyromaniac after an incident while working on Freaky Friday nearly blinded Jamie Lee Curtis.
Matthew McConaughey
Rick "The Pecker" Peck: Speedman's extremely devoted agent and best friend.
Tom Cruise
Les Grossman: The balding, profane, ill-tempered studio executive producing Tropic Thunder. Some commentators and Hollywood insiders believe he is loosely based on film producer Scott Rudin, famous for his volcanic temper and poor treatment of others.
Bill Hader
Studio Executive Rob Slolom: Grossman's assistant and right-hand man
Brandon Soo Hoo
Tran: The 12-year-old leader of the Flaming Dragon gang
Reggie Lee
Byong: The second-in-command of the Flaming Dragon gang.
Yvette Nicole Brown
Peck's assistant
On The Rewatchables (1)
The Rewatchablesaired May 12, 2026
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