John Wayne

The Mandalorian Season 3: The John Wayne Connection You Likely Missed

Late film legend John Wayne, also known as “The Duke,” still stands tall today thanks to his classic roles in such movie Westerns as “El Dorado,” “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” “Rooster Cogburn,” and “True Grit.”
Now, a couple of generations later, the Wayne name is still prominent in Hollywood thanks to John Wayne’s grandson, Brendan Wayne, and he stars in a project that employs the sensibilities of the Western genre, no less. And while the story is set “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away,” the hit “Star Wars” spinoff series “The Mandalorian” portrays the space bounty hunter as a gunslinger merely trying to make his way in the Old West.
Pedro Pascal, of course, stars as the Mandalorian — known as “Mando,” for short — and provides the voice for the character and inhabits the armor the character wears. But since the role is filled with lots of physically taxing situations, Wayne and fellow actor-slash-stunt performer, Lateef Crowder, also occupy the Mando suit and helmet. Benefiting the production and its Western tone, of course, is that the genre is a big part of his Wayne’s lineage, and the creatives behind “The Mandalorian” wanted to take advantage of that.
“I noticed that in the screen test that they wanted a very Western kind of feel,” Wayne told Vulture shortly after the series premiered in 2019. “So, I just slowed everything down. All my walks, everything.”
Wayne noted that “holding the strength of your core” was the key to his movements, much like his grandfather, who he described as “so graceful, even though he was a six-foot-five, 260-pound guy, and it was because he was so strong. It allowed him to move in a certain way.”
Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder get credit where credit is due in Mando Season 3Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty ImagesSeason 3 of “The Mandalorian” has been a significant one in terms of recognition for Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder, since both performers were listed in the main end credits after the likes of Pedro Pascal and Katee Sackhoff, who took on a bigger role in the series as Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze. In the first two seasons, Wayne and Crowder — who brings his martial arts experience to Mando’s fight scenes — were listed much further down in the end credits as “Doubles” for Mando.
However, as Wayne and Crowder discovered, being a double didn’t mean that they were merely filling in for Pascal to stand on set to line up shots for lighting purposes. They each did full-on stunt work, which meant each would have to deal with alien beasts, at least on an imaginary level. Of course, because of Wayne’s background, he already knew how to wrangle animals real and imaginary for his on-screen work. In fact, one of Wayne’s roles was that of Charlie Lyle, one of the titular cowboys in director Jon Favreau’s 2011 Western sci-fi fantasy “Cowboys & Aliens.”
“So, playing a cowboy in this movie was the easiest thing for me to tap into imaginatively,” Wayne told Vanity Fair in 2011. “I can ride a horse, and I can do stunts on a horse. At least I found out I could do stunts on a horse.”
Wayne let his Western instincts influence Mando from the get-goLucasfilm/Disney+While Brendan Wayne said he walked The Duke’s walk, quite literally, while playing Mando, he also brought some moves as a classic gunslinger to the role, if only by mere instinct. During his screen test for the role, Wayne told Vulture, “I don’t know what possessed me, but I started just telling them things like, ‘This gun, I gotta have it lower. He can’t have it this high, nobody draws a gun this high.’”
In effect, Wayne told Vulture, he was immediately talking to the filmmakers as if the Mando suit was already his own, while also saying things like, “This rifle that’s on my back, I gotta have a little more access to what’s in my right hand to reach across my left body, to pull the stock out so I can flip it over and really shoot.”
Apparently Wayne’s confidence in what he was doing worked because he landed the role. There were times, however, where he sought the guidance of “Mandalorian” co-stars like Greef Karga actor Carl Weathers about how to maintain Mando’s swagger. Ultimately, though, Weathers’ advice came full circle in a sort of way as he simply asked, “How would your grandfather do it?”
“And I was like, ‘You know, he’d lead with his shoulder — he always led with his shoulder,’ and then Carl said, “Goddamn it then. Lead with your shoulder and stop thinking about it,’” Wayne recalled for Vulture. “And I thought, ‘Oh my God, Carl Weathers just channeled my grandfather.’”
After nailing a particularly troublesome take, Wayne noted for Vulture that he looked over at “Carl and he could not stop laughing.”
All three seasons of “The Mandalorian” are streaming on Disney+.

John Wayne

The Legend Lives On: John Wayne is Still Alive!

In a world where legends never fade, we can’t help but wonder: what if John Wayne, the iconic figure of American cinema, is still with us in spirit? The Duke, known for his larger-than-life roles and undeniable charisma, continues to inspire generations.

From his unforgettable performances in classics like “True Grit” and “The Searchers” to his indomitable spirit, Wayne’s essence is woven into the fabric of Hollywood and American culture. His rugged persona, moral fortitude, and unwavering courage resonate deeply, reminding us of the values he embodied.

While we may not see him on the silver screen today, Wayne’s legacy lives on through the countless actors he inspired and the stories he helped tell. His films are timeless, bringing joy and adventure to audiences around the world.

So, as we celebrate the enduring impact of John Wayne, let’s keep his spirit alive in our hearts. Whether you’re watching one of his classics or sharing a favorite quote, remember that the legend of John Wayne will never truly die. Here’s to the Duke—forever a part of our cinematic history!

John Wayne

Why John Wayne Turned Down the Chance to Work With Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are the two biggest legends in the history of Western movies, however, they never worked together. The duo did have the opportunity to work together once in the 1970s. Here’s why the film never came to fruition.

How John Wayne responded when Clint Eastwood tried to work with him

Firstly, a little background. According to the book John Wayne: The Life and Legend, it all starts with Larry Cohen. Though Cohen is not a widely known director like Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino, he’s a huge name to fans of B movies. He directed famous B movies like The Stuff, Q: The Winged Serpent, It’s Alive, and God Told Me To. He also wrote a script called The Hostiles shortly after Eastwood released his classic High Plains Drifter.

The Hostiles was about a gambler who wins half of an estate of an older man. The gambler and the older man have to work together despite the fact that they don’t like each other. Eastwood optioned the screenplay with the intent of playing the gambler alongside Wayne as the older man.

Eastwood sent a copy of the script of The Hostiles to Wayne. Although Eastwood felt the script was imperfect, he saw its potential. However, Wayne was not interested. Eastwood pitched the film to Wayne a second time and Wayne responded with a letter. Wayne’s letter complained about High Plains Drifter. Wayne was offended by the film and its portrayal of the Old West as a cruel, violent place.

John Wayne

Ann-Margret Refused to Call John Wayne ‘Duke’ While Introducing 1 of His Movies

Ann-Margret once starred in one of John Wayne’s lesser-known movies. However, she refused to call him by his popular moniker Duke. Here’s a look at the film they made together — and why she declined to call him by a nickname.

The one time Ann-Margret and John Wayne made a movie together

Ann-Margret is probably most known for her work in musicals, specifically Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, and The Who’s Tommy. However, she also dabbled in the Western genre. She starred alongside Wayne in the mostly forgotten movie The Train Robbers.

Wayne was also known as The Duke or just Duke. According to USA Today, the nickname was derived from his childhood dog. It stuck with him for many years. It continues to be used today — even on the box covers of the DVDs for his movies.

John Wayne | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

During an interview with Interview Magazine, Ann-Margret explained why she didn’t refer to the Rio Bravo star by this famous name. “When I came to this country, first of all, mother and I didn’t know English,” she said. “I would curtsey, then say, ‘Thank you,’ and then when I was leaving, curtsey. For example, we went to Dallas to introduce a film I did with John Wayne. And I never called him Duke. I just couldn’t. That’s the way I was raised. When you meet someone, you say either Mr. or Mrs. or Miss. You stand up.”

Ann-Margret revealed she treated other famous people in much the same way. For example, she worked with director George Sidney on Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas. She always called him Mr. Sidney.

What Ann-Margret thought about John Wayne

Ann-Margret refused to use Wayne’s most famous moniker. However, she had a positive view of the actor. During an interview with Fox News, she was asked what she expected when she met Wayne. “Oh, I didn’t know what to expect,” she revealed. “But when he hugged me, it’s like the world was hugging me. He was so big and wide with that booming voice.

“We were shooting in Durango, Mexico and my parents came down to visit me,” she added. “He was so great with my parents. So absolutely welcoming and gentle with them. And anybody who was great to my parents was on a throne in my eyes.”

How the world reacted to ‘The Train Robbers’

Wayne starred in many classic Westerns, including The Searchers, Stagecoach, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. However, The Train Robbers is mostly forgotten. It didn’t gain a cult following like Once Upon a Time in the West or Dead Man. It wasn’t a critical success either, garnering a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Ann-Margret had some fond memories of making the film — even if she refused to call Wayne by his famous nickname.