This week we see two people retiring from movies – Luc Besson and the perpetually befuddled-looking looking Juliette Lewis.
Besson, whose “final” movie is the upcoming Arthur and the Minimoys, says that after ten films he’s all done and that he wants to turn his attention to civic good work, including setting up a foundation for France’s inner city youth. "I want to take a little care of my fellow citizens. I want to take a little care of my planet," he said to the Globe and Mail. It’s worth noting that this retirement seems to only apply to directing – he might very well continue writing and producing movies, which is really what he does the most anyway.
Meanwhile, Scientologist Juliette Lewis is quitting the acting game to concentrate on her band The Licks. She tells Teletext, "To me music is a more complete creative expression. I never was in love with acting. It’s a marriage that’s a good fit but it doesn’t set me free in the way music does. It’s also less intellectual than movie-making.” Since it seems like tying her shoes might be a little too intellectual for Lewis, this choice is really understandable. But let’s be frank – a quick look at her IMDB filmography indicates the former Natural Born Killer was about six months from a stay in the Surreal World house anyway.
We at CHUD wish the best for both Besson and Lewis, and here’s hoping their retirements don’t go the way of Richard Dreyfuss’.