Cookie Monster: Caan Walks Off Set After Snack Dispute

James Caan, fighting for realism in death by cookie. 

Usually when people leave a project over creative differences, it’s about very big issues–feeling that a character isn’t getting enough attention, having different visions of the script, too much FX vs. not enough acting (or the converse), a disorganized set, or people who just plain don’t like each other. Things rarely get as minute and specific as the incident that caused James Caan to quit David O. Russell’s movie Nailed.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two clashed over a scene with a cookie. Caan’s character, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, was supposed to choke to death on a cookie. Caan felt that someone couldn’t choke and cough at the same time. Russell offered to shoot it both ways, with coughing and without, but Caan didn’t trust his non-cough version would have a chance and walked off the set.

Caan’s rep said (while laughing, apparently) that there were “creative differences” and “the parting was amicable.” Film producer Douglas Wick said the discussion was “part of an ongoing creative conversation between the actor and director” and that Russell has behaved professionally throughout the shoot.

(This would be a change, as he has previously gotten into a fight with George Clooney on the set of Three Kings and a screaming match with Lily Tomlin during I Heart Huckabees that has become a YouTube classic.)

“Nailed” is about a woman who “gets a nail lodged in her head and travels to Washington to fight for better health care.” It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessica Biel, James Marsden, Catherine Keener, Tracy Morgan and Olivia Crocicchia. Caan’s part is now up for grabs. Fred Thompson isn’t busy…

Can you choke to death and cough at the same time? I can see Caan’s point that if you’re coughing you might be able to expel what’s choking you. But I think Russell just mean a little desperate coughing, enough to send some crumbs flying but not enough to dislodge the whole cookie. You may ponder this question, but I beg you, please don’t try it at home without a director nearby.