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Why didnt Sam Wommack just say no?


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Old 04-01-2017, 09:07
dave_windows
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Hearing a bit about Janus/Wommack that she hated the way her character was killed off at same time as on screen sister so why didnt she just turn round and refuse to do it.

The new producer wanted the characters gone where she wanted to come back later rather than kill her character off so if she had refused she could returned years later.

Yeah they could have just fired her but she would have been gone regardless so dont know why she didnt just stand up for herself.
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Old 04-01-2017, 09:12
duckylucky
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In this industry that is not how it works . If Sam Womak did such a thing she would be blacklisted and find it hard to find work . An actress doesnt choose how a character progresses . And actors know this
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Old 04-01-2017, 09:17
davejc64
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It would be seen as being very unprofessional and could effect any other acting jobs she would be offered in the future not to mention the media and social media whingers would be all over it and calling all the names under the sun, oh wait they already are.
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Old 04-01-2017, 09:18
TheGraduate2012
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She was probably just being diplomatic when she said she'd agreed to it. I doubt she had much choice.
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Old 04-01-2017, 09:19
BeeBumble
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because you don't just say no to the people that are paying you. Even if you'd be leaving anyway.

At the end of the day The BBC are still her employers, they probably still had money to pay her for her work and maybe even redundancy pay that would have been yet to reach her. Also as an actor it's not good to get a reputation for being a bit of a diva. She would not have wanted to jeopardise future opportunities because casting agents refuse to work with her after hearing she refused to do what she was told on the set of EastEnders.
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Old 04-01-2017, 10:18
Michelle Jones
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Are you serious? She's a professional actress who was under contract and erm, being PAID to do her job.

And just imagine if she had thrown a strop and refused to do it, like others have said she'd probably never have been employed by the BBC again, or anyone for that matter
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Old 04-01-2017, 10:40
Aura101
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I wish she had.
To be fair there are other actors who have refused to do certain storylines and stayed in a job. Nick Cotton refusing to so the gay storyline in the 80s, fair enough he got axed after that, but still came back.
Same with Grant refusing do to the rape storyline, he didn't even get the Axe.

It would not look good professionally but I'm sure she would have got work elsewhere. And I'm certain she would have ended up back on EastEnders in years to come.
But the girl is a professional. I'm sure she will speak out soon against Sean.
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Old 04-01-2017, 10:57
steven3001
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I would imagine had she refused and simply not done it the BBC would have still killed her off just off the screen and I would assume she would have had legal action taken to recoup her paid fees and any losses the BBC had etc
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Old 04-01-2017, 11:02
FingersAndToes
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She would be blacklisted, get a reputation of being difficult on set. There are only a few instances an actir has any say in how the character is written.
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Old 04-01-2017, 11:06
memmh
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I would imagine had she refused and simply not done it the BBC would have still killed her off just off the screen and I would assume she would have had legal action taken to recoup her paid fees and any losses the BBC had etc
^^^ This.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:27
The_abbott
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I think Sam and Rita must have known very early on that SOC hated their characters. Therefore, they had no choice but to except an exit storyline. I'm sure they were gutted to be killed off but that's the industry. Sam is on screen for the next Kingsman film which isn't that long away.

It will be interesting if Sam ever works for the BBC again.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:37
absalomabsalom
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Hearing a bit about Janus/Wommack that she hated the way her character was killed off at same time as on screen sister so why didnt she just turn round and refuse to do it.

The new producer wanted the characters gone where she wanted to come back later rather than kill her character off so if she had refused she could returned years later.

Yeah they could have just fired her but she would have been gone regardless so dont know why she didnt just stand up for herself.
Forgive me if I made this up, but didn't the guy who played Beppe DiMarco refuse to play out his final scenes so they had to get some random character in to do them with Lynn Slater??
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:47
Kate Ford fan
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She's hardly regarded highly in the same way someone like Steve McFadden is who plays one of the most iconic and long serving characters in the show. I liked Ronnie but she was always an extremely polarising character who divided viewers at the end of the day.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:51
The Queen Vic
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Because she's a professional.

And, by the way, it's never been said that SOC hated Ronnie and Roxy. Makes sense people are thinking that to be true, but who says it is? He may have just thought the characters had run their course, which I agree with. On the fence about killing them off, not sure if it was the right decision, but right now I'm not that bothered they've gone. In a few years when Amy's a bit older, perhaps, it might prove to be a mistake. But hey ho!
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:53
lotty27
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Hearing a bit about Janus/Wommack that she hated the way her character was killed off at same time as on screen sister so why didnt she just turn round and refuse to do it.

The new producer wanted the characters gone where she wanted to come back later rather than kill her character off so if she had refused she could returned years later.

Yeah they could have just fired her but she would have been gone regardless so dont know why she didnt just stand up for herself.
Actors know that no matter how much they might love a job that most often it's not forever. She's not entitled to a job on this programme and she knows it as she's actually a professional and I bet it never entered her head to do what you suggest. It would have been petty behaviour in the extreme and she'd have been lucky if she ever worked again. Being 'difficult' might work/be acceptable if you're a huge star but in a jobbing actress it's just seen as impossible to work with so roles would go to someone more amenable.

She'd have been committing professional suicide and I'm surprised that you can't see this.

I wish she had.
To be fair there are other actors who have refused to do certain storylines and stayed in a job. Nick Cotton refusing to so the gay storyline in the 80s, fair enough he got axed after that, but still came back.
Same with Grant refusing do to the rape storyline, he didn't even get the Axe.

It would not look good professionally but I'm sure she would have got work elsewhere. And I'm certain she would have ended up back on EastEnders in years to come.
But the girl is a professional. I'm sure she will speak out soon against Sean.
How could she possibly be professional yet slag off her ex-boss in public? One part of your sentence is contradicting the other. Professional people don't do this.

I'd be very surprised if we hear anything from Sam other than the generic she was sad to leave etc.

I would imagine had she refused and simply not done it the BBC would have still killed her off just off the screen and I would assume she would have had legal action taken to recoup her paid fees and any losses the BBC had etc
Exactly, and the character wouldn't have had such a memorable exit.

I think Sam and Rita must have known very early on that SOC hated their characters. Therefore, they had no choice but to except an exit storyline. I'm sure they were gutted to be killed off but that's the industry. Sam is on screen for the next Kingsman film which isn't that long away.

It will be interesting if Sam ever works for the BBC again.
Did he hate their characters or just think that they'd come to the end of their arc? (not something I agree with in the case of Roxy). I agree with him in that Ronnie had done some terrible things (I won't forget Fatboy's death in a hurry) and needed some karma.

I think he gave them a great exit, the wedding day itself was memorable with nods to their introduction as party girls (even the soda syphons came back out). Ronnie in particular had been rehabilitated from 'Gangsta Ronnie' who was organising someone being put in car boots to die and became more of an earth mother, settled in a happy relationship which makes her ending all the more tragic and therefore memorable. I honestly think Roxy got the worse exit as they've had her sniffing coke, being reckless, thinking she was useless etc (when she'd held the fort quite fine when Ronnie was in a coma) and then drunkenly jumping in the pool ensuring that Ronnie had to jump in to try and save her which killed them both.

But it was a helluva ending for these characters which is going to be remembered for a long time.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:54
duckylucky
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Forgive me if I made this up, but didn't the guy who played Beppe DiMarco refuse to play out his final scenes so they had to get some random character in to do them with Lynn Slater??
I wonder has he worked much since on BBC ?
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:39
kitkat1971
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As others have said, it would have been utterly unprofessional.

As others have said, if you are paid to do a job, you do it as instructed by your boss, whether you like it or not.

I very much doubt they'd have changed the outcome if she'd refused, they'd just have done it some other way. Had her die off screen or even hired a double so we just saw her floating face down in a pool with no build up.

The bosses always win in these situations.

To echo what Lotty said, if she gives her 'true' opinion on SOC shortly, thst would also be unprofessional. The fact is that you don't slag off your employer, former or present, unless you are prepared to be seen as a troubke maker and risk future employers being put off you for that reasom. That's true in any industry, including acting.

I also don't think there is anything to suggest that he hated them or the decision was petty. He probabky just felt that they'd had their time, no longer fitted in the show but deserved a big exit. Not everybody can leave in a black cab. I'd suggest that if he'd hated them, he'd have written them out much more quickly and in a lower key way.

I don't think he hates Lee either but his exit will be necessary gor the prominent story he wanted to tell for him through the Autumn and Winter.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:39
kitkat1971
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I wonder has he worked much since on BBC ?
I can't remember seeing him in anything.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:50
robjames69
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She was hardly ever in work anyway taking endless breaks. Ronnie became a frumpy boring housewife who was a cunning murderer one minute and the angel of the square the next. I'm glad she's dead.
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Old 04-01-2017, 15:01
Zarla
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Natalie Cassidy refused to play a lesbian and left, only to return and play a lesbian, albeit seemingly with a no kissing on camera clause.
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Old 04-01-2017, 16:30
danyell
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Natalie Cassidy refused to play a lesbian and left, only to return and play a lesbian, albeit seemingly with a no kissing on camera clause.
I think Michelle Ryan who played Zoe Slater refused her character to become a lesbian as well. So nothing came of Zoe and Kelly's kiss.
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Old 04-01-2017, 16:35
LaneKent
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Hearing a bit about Janus/Wommack that she hated the way her character was killed off at same time as on screen sister so why didnt she just turn round and refuse to do it.

The new producer wanted the characters gone where she wanted to come back later rather than kill her character off so if she had refused she could returned years later.

Yeah they could have just fired her but she would have been gone regardless so dont know why she didnt just stand up for herself.
Sam Womack could not say no. She was contracted to do a job like everyone else. In her line of work that entails acting out what she is told. She was consulted about the story out of courtesy. But at the end of the day if they didn't like her opinion and she said no to theirs, they would of killed the character off (possibly off-screen), then she would of faced a lawsuit and her reputation would of been in tatters in terms of other producers/casting people. As it was they cut her contract short once before in the wake of the baby swap fiasco. She was very vocal about that. They wouldn't let her get away with it again.

Basically the only choice she had was be killed off with a wimper or go out with a bang and it be remembered forever. We don't know how much she argued with the producer in the first place? All we know is he wanted Ronnie dead and gone. She was never coming back, so in the end it was best she did it their way.

Rita Simons is the one here most likely to of had a choice. She was probably told we are going to axe you at the end of your contract so you can either stay until then or have your contract cut short and leave at the same time as Sam Womack and give Ronnie & Roxy a spectacular exit.
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Old 04-01-2017, 16:40
AuntieSoap
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Because she was under contract.
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Old 04-01-2017, 19:25
The_abbott
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She's hardly regarded highly in the same way someone like Steve McFadden is who plays one of the most iconic and long serving characters in the show. I liked Ronnie but she was always an extremely polarising character who divided viewers at the end of the day.
But she was. They tried to keep her on in 2011 and even said they would adapt storylines to give her happier plots just so she would stay on.

OK she isn't Babs Windsor but the BBC did rate Sam. Not so sure now though.
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Old 04-01-2017, 19:30
ArthurJBear
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Hearing a bit about Janus/Wommack that she hated the way her character was killed off at same time as on screen sister so why didnt she just turn round and refuse to do it.

The new producer wanted the characters gone where she wanted to come back later rather than kill her character off so if she had refused she could returned years later.

Yeah they could have just fired her but she would have been gone regardless so dont know why she didnt just stand up for herself.
Did she - not seen any reports on this - yes there have been reports where they have interpreted what she has said but nothing I've seen that directly stated her hatred of the idea - plus easiest thing to do as protest would be to give less than 100% - which wouldn't have been difficult for her as she rarely gave above 50% anyway - make the scenes unusable - simples
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