Gary Oldman reveals he was paid ‘a sandwich and a bottle of pop’ for David Bowie video role

Actor Gary Oldman has spoken out about his role in the video for David Bowie’s ‘The Next Day’, which he starred in last year, playing a priest opposite Marion Cotillard.

He revealed that he was paid “a sandwich and a bottle of pop” for his part in the video, and no money changed hands. Speaking to the Daily Mail’s Event magazine, Oldman added that Bowie asked him to take part via an email. “Dave just shot me an email, out of the blue, saying, ‘Do you want to come and play a priest for a day?'” said the actor. “It was all done for a sandwich and a bottle of pop. We actually shot it in a place that’s about 10 minutes from my house. There was no money in it.”

‘The Next Day’ was the third single to be taken from Bowie’s 2013 album of the same name. The video was directed by Floria Sigismundi, who also directed Bowie’s ‘The Stars (Are Out Tonight)’ video.

Alongside Oldman, Marion Cotillard – who won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Edith Piaf – also starred in the promo, which took place in a pub with a cast and crew of religious characters. Bowie played a Christ-like figure, Oldman portrayed a priest and Cotillard a saint-like character, whilst a Cardinal handed out cash and a nun prayed. “People can make what they want of it, that’s the point of a video like that. He’s an artist, he makes you think,” said Oldman of the controversial video.

Bowie and Oldman previously joined forces in 1995, when they recorded a duet of Bowie’s ‘You’ve Been Around’ for guitarist Reeves Gabrels’ album ‘The Sacred Squall Of Now’. They worked together again in 1996 on the Jean-Michel Basquiat biopic Basquiat with Bowie portraying Andy Warhol.

Source: NME