‘Cocaine Bear’ Had O’Shea Jackson Jr. From A Tweet

All it took was a tweet to get O’Shea Jackson Jr. to star in Cocaine Bear, one of the most talked about films of 2023.

The movie, directed and co-produced by Elizabeth Banks, is loosely based on a true story from 1985 when an American black bear consumed part of a haul of cocaine dropped by drug smugglers in the Tennessee wilderness. It has already grossed $2 million in previews and looks set to secure an opening weekend in the region of $15 million.

“I love that the studio has got so behind the movie that it’s unavoidable. I’ve been seeing it everywhere,” he enthused. “I’ve seen it on apps that I’m on, billboards, and even an advert for it during the Super Bowl. It was my first time having a Super Bowl commercial for a movie I’ve done.”

“The online presence of Cocaine Bear is something that, as an actor, as a creator, that’s what you want. You want a movie to go viral, to have crazy moments, to be talked about, and to have hashtags and whatnot. I’m very pleased with how people are receiving the news that there’s a movie about a bear on cocaine,” Jackson added.

Cocaine Bear, directed and co-produced by Elizabeth Banks, is loosely based on a true story from 1985 when an American black bear consumed part of a haul of cocaine dropped by drug smugglers in the Tennessee wilderness.

“I heard about it via a tweet,” he explained. “I saw that Elizabeth got the rights, I clicked on it, and it piqued my interest. And I was like, ‘Yo, there’s no way that they’re letting this movie happen,’ but I tweeted, ‘Take my money now,’ or something like that, just praising the movie. Elizabeth saw it and was like, ‘We’ve got to get O’Shea.’ She already had me.”

To some, Banks being the helmer might be a surprise, but Jackson Jr. is not one of them.

“I was already a fan of Elizabeth Banks because of her comedic roles. The lady makes me laugh, so I was already excited to work with her,” Jackson recalled. “When I found out she was directing, it was like, ‘She knows what this needs. She’s a player-coach who knows what it is to be in your shoes and what she wouldn’t want a director to tell her. And she’s able to work with you in a way that’s super inviting. I love Elizabeth. I’ll work with her again, whatever she needs.”

“She will always have me in her corner praising her.”

As well as Jackson Jr., Cocaine Bear boasts an ensemble cast that includes Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Margo Martindale, Matthew Rhys, and, in one of his final performances before his death, Ray Liotta.

With solid reviews and the movie becoming its own pop culture phenomenon, the role of Daveed, one of the guys given the job of tracking the missing haul by Liotta’s drug kingpin, is another win for Jackson Jr., who shot to fame in the acclaimed NWA biopic, Straight Outta Compton.

“You’ve got to have a balance in your work,” he mused. “After Straight Outta Compton, I told my team that we have to make sure every movie we do, the next one has to be the opposite of the last. We could not let people box me and say I’m a specific type of actor. “

Jackson continued, “We went from an Oscar-nominated movie to the indie route with Ingrid Goes West, then to action with Den of Thieves, then Godzilla: King of the Monsters, then back to the dramatic with Just Mercy. I’ve always tried to dance around. “

Cocaine Bear, which is on track to be a bona fide hit at the box office, looks set to join the exclusive club of “cult classic” movies that find longevity way beyond its original theatrical run, and Jackson Jr. is entirely comfortable with that.

“There are popcorn movies, but then there’s cinema, as they say, and I want to be taken seriously in both. It’s always fun to have a movie that everyone can’t stop talking about,” the actor explained, beaming. “The film enthusiasts, their numbers are a bit smaller than those who want to have fun at the movies, but I love both sides. I’m a part of both sides, so you’ve got to embrace it. Now and then, you’ve got to do some for the art, but then you’ve got to do something for the people right after.”

Although the titular character was a scene-stealer, the on set reality when it came to the cast interacting with the leading mammal was safer than a real bear but no less effective.

“We had an actor, Allan Henry, who does a lot of creature work for things like The Hobbit. He’s a giant dude from New Zealand dude decked out in black spandex and a bear head,” Jackson revealed. “If that doesn’t strike fear in you, I don’t know what does.”

“He’s a great dude and made my job as an actor way easier. It was much better than having a tennis ball on a stick for eye line or one of the other tropes they give you for CGI. We are all completely and utterly grateful for Alan.”

If audiences turn out as expected, could this be the start of a franchise? Could we expect a Cocaine Bear cinematic universe? Jackson Jr. is down.

“Anything that puts me Alden Ehrenreich and Elizabeth Banks back together, sign me up,” he laughed. “I think we got a sneaky number one movie on our hands. We’ve got to put asses in seats. I guarantee you haven’t seen this before, and it’s just a fun ride for audiences. We are in much need of some fun entertainment in the movie theaters.”

He concluded, “You don’t know how weird it is to do interviews all day, and people on the news are like, ‘So, O’Shea, tell us about this bear on cocaine.’ It’s incredible. What a job. What a country.”

Cocaine Bear is in theaters now