Ridiculous Early Role This NCIS Star Would Probably Like You To Forget About
What do you know about LL Cool J's most unsuccessful project?
It seems that before joining the then-new NCIS spinoff Los Angeles in 2009, LL Cool J had done it all, from a successful music career and a solo sitcom to starring in numerous hit series and movies.
But of course, fans of the NCIS franchise know him best for his role as ex-Navy SEAL and West Asian cultural expert Sam Hanna.
Special Agent Sam Hanna's arc has become an integral part of the spinoff as well as the entire franchise as he has appeared in NCIS and NCIS: Hawaii.
It is safe to say that during its 14-season run, the show gave LL Cool J a huge new fan base. But very few police procedural fans know that their beloved star's career has not always been so perfect.
In fact, he once played a role he probably wishes his fans would never know about.
Back in 2002, he landed the role of Marcus Ridley in John McTiernan's sci-fi sports movie Rollerball.
A remake of the 1975 movie of the same name, Rollerball follows Jonathan and Marcus, two stars of a new violent sport, as they discover that the game they are participating in is corrupt and people are being killed for the sake of ratings.
Jonathan was played by Chris Klein, and the main cast included some other big names like Jean Reno and Rebecca Romijn. So it was a huge disappointment when the remake turned out to be a box office bomb.
The film, which grossed $25 million against a production budget of $70 million, was heavily criticized by audiences and critics alike, especially those who compared it to the original 1975 film.
Disappointed viewers noted that instead of picking up on the intriguing social and political overtones of its predecessor, which offered an interesting take on a dystopian futuristic reality dominated by the appetite for spectacle, the remake focused narrowly on action and lost any uniqueness.
As a result, 2002 Rollerball has an IMDB rating of 3.1 and a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 14% based on more than 25k reviews.
Many call it one of the worst movies of the first decade of the 21st century. Such a huge flop must be difficult to shake off one's career, so it is safe to say that LL Cool J is not a fan of ever mentioning his infamous role.