In recent years, Dave Chappelle has given viewers some insight into his love-hate relationship with Hollywood; as if his abrupt exit from Chappelle’s Show wasn’t the definitive answer. While some ponder the comedian’s potential Hollywood career, he never really wanted that. When it comes to his career trajectory, the legendary comedian talked about not following the money and how his instincts led to his role in 2018's A Star is Born.
Dave Chappelle's departure from Comedy Central and his popular sketch comedy show left many scratching their heads. Ultimately, his decision paid off as evident by his career resurgence. He never played into Hollywood’s fame and money game. So his turn in Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born was surprising. While on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, he said the following to the titular host about his instincts:
It’s that, bro. You know these paths in life they reveal themselves. This goes back to what we were saying earlier. If you look at things through the lens of money or monetary gain, you’ll miss so much. This thing about just following a passion, having a good dinner with someone -- yeah I’ll do it! That’s usually how the greatest things happen. When I did A Star is Born -- I don’t do movies -- and I’m so glad I did it. It was just because I liked Bradley Cooper. I kept meeting him at parties. I just liked the guy.
Dave Chappelle and Joe Rogan’s conversation was refreshing. The two were able to freely speak about their experiences in Hollywood while touching on the constant grind. Chapelle’s insightful words gave viewers a chance to understand his logic for quitting the Hollywood scene. As seen by his moves, the comedian isn’t concerned about pleasing the gatekeepers. But he allows himself to follow his passion, which led to him and Bradley Cooper connecting for the Oscar-nominated film.
This isn’t the first time Dave Chappelle has spoken about his casting in A Star is Born. During a 2019 interview, the legendary comedian revealed Bradley Cooper stalked him to take the part of George “Noodles” Stone. The actor-director went as far as to meet with the comedian in Ohio. Apparently after that, Cooper bothered Chapelle for days before he agreed to participate in the film. In Cooper’s defense, the stand-up comedian admitted to not reading A Star is Born’s script for a minute. At the end of the day, Chapelle made the right decision given the acclaim he received for his role.
Since leaving Chappelle’s Show, Dave Chapelle’s instincts haven’t failed him. His endless stream of comedy specials and hosting Saturday Night Live multiple times have kept the comedian on people’s tongues over the last decade. As a Chappelle fan, I hope to see him in more besides specials and late-night fare despite his aversion to the entertainment industry. If you want to see Chappelle's performance, you can watch A Star is Born on Hulu, HBO Max and Prime Video.
