Tropic Thunder
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Tropic Thunder

Year:
Duration:
107 min | USA:121 min (unrated director's cut)
Genres:
Action | Comedy
IMDB rate:
7
Director:
Ben Stiller
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 27 nominations
Details
Country: USA
Release Date: 2008-08-13
Filming Locations: Santa Clarita, California, USA
Earnings
Budget: $92,000,000
Opening Weekend: $25,812,796 (USA) (17 August 2008)
Gross: $110,416,702 (USA) (9 November 2008)
Cast
Actor
Character
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr.
Tropic Thunder
Jeff Kahn
Snooty Waiter - Fatties Trailer
Anthony Ruivivar
Platoon Sergeant Shot in Head - Hot LZ
Jack Black
Jeff Portnoy - Hot LZ
Jay Baruchel
Kevin Sandusky - Hot LZ
Brandon T. Jackson
Alpa Chino - Hot LZ
Ben Stiller
Tugg Speedman - Hot LZ
Eric Winzenried
Chopper Pilot - Hot LZ
Steve Coogan
Damien Cockburn - Vietnam Crew
Valerie Azlynn
Damien's Assistant - Vietnam Crew
Matt Levin
Cameraperson - Vietnam Crew
David Pressman
First Assistant Director - Vietnam Crew
Amy Stiller
Script Supervisor - Vietnam Crew
Danny McBride
Cody - Vietnam Crew
Dempsey Silva
Special Effects Assistant - Vietnam Crew
Bill Hader
Studio Executive Rob Slolom - Vietnam Crew
Nick Nolte
Four Leaf Tayback - Vietnam Crew
Jeff Weidemann
Speedman Assistant - Vietnam Crew (as Jeff Weideman)
Nadine Ellis
Speedman Assistant - Vietnam Crew
Rachel Avery
Speedman Assistant - Vietnam Crew
Darryl Farmer
Alpa's Posse - Vietnam Crew
Rod Tate
Alpa's Posse - Vietnam Crew
Maria Menounos
Herself - Access Hollywood
Tyra Banks
Herself - The Tyra Banks Show
Christine Taylor
Rebecca - Simple Jack Clip
Jel Galiza
Speedman's Chef - Speedman's Mansion
Andrea de Oliveira
Speedman's Trainer - Speedman's Mansion
Matthew McConaughey
Rick Peck - Peck's Office
Yvette Nicole Brown
Peck's Assistant - Peck's Office
Reggie Lee
Byong - Flaming Dragon Compound
Trieu Tran
Tru - Flaming Dragon Compound
Brandon Soo Hoo
Tran - Flaming Dragon Compound
J. Thomas Chon
Half Squat - Flaming Dragon Compound
Jacob Chon
Half Squat - Flaming Dragon Compound
Tom Cruise
Les Grossman - Grossman's Office
Mini Anden
Grossman's Secretary - Grossman's Office
Mike Hoagland
Grossman's Assistant - Grossman's Office
Jon Voight
Himself - Awards Ceremony
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Herself - Awards Ceremony
Jason Bateman
Himself - Awards Ceremony
Lance Bass
Himself - Awards Ceremony
Alicia Silverstone
Herself - Awards Ceremony
Don Abernathy
Academy Award Attendee (uncredited)
Linda Bella
Jon Voight's Date (uncredited)
Denise Bradley
Academy Award Guest (uncredited)
Ella Christopher-Pantoliano
Stewardess (uncredited)
Natalie Cohen
Stewardess (uncredited)
Larry Cruz
Gorilla Soldier (uncredited)
Angela Daun
Starlet (uncredited)
Clark DeVol
Sack Race Boy (uncredited)
Kaylee Dodson
Sack Race Girl (uncredited)
Jasmine Dustin
Trophy Presenter (uncredited)
Eric Feliciano
Academy Awards Audience Member (uncredited)
Austin Honaker
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Miko Hughes
Radio DJ (uncredited)
Dave Johnson
Journalist (uncredited)
Jillian Johnston
Four Leaf's Date (uncredited)
Tobey Maguire
Himself (uncredited)
Fadhia Carmelle Marcelin
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Anya Monzikova
Trophy Presenter (uncredited)
The Mooney Suzuki
Themselves (uncredited)
Chad Mountain
Agency Assistant (uncredited)
Brittany Perry-Russell
Booty Sweat Girl (uncredited)
DJ Rivers
Award Show Security (uncredited)
Samantha Sadoff
Farm Girl (uncredited)
Becca Sweitzer
Go Go Dancer (uncredited)
Kaye Marie Talise
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Sandra Valladares
Red Carpet Reporter (uncredited)
Julie Van
Oscar Attendee (uncredited)
Jobeth Wagner
Academy Awards Attendee (uncredited)
Did you know?
Trivia
Ben Stiller:  [Star Trek (1966)]  Speedman is seen watching clips from Star Trek: Arena (1967).
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Shipped to some theaters under the name "Capricorn".
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In the film, Damien's surname "Cockburn" is pronounced phonetically (probably for humorous effect), whereas it is properly pronounced "Coh-burn".
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Goofs
When Tugg is stabbing the panda, he pulls the knife out of the panda but in the next shot the knife is back in the panda and he is mourning the panda's death.
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The Gap only sells merchandise under its own label; therefore, Alpa Chino could have not sold a line of "Alpa Chino chinos" at The Gap, as he claims.
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Both Kevin Sandusky and Alpa Chino are carrying Vietnam War era correct M16A1 rifles, complete with the fixed butt stock, 20" barrel and the three pronged flash suppressor. Tugg Speedman is carrying a modern era M4 carbine rifle. This rifle is distinctly different looking than the A1, in that it has the adjustable length butt stock, 16" barrel with the round fore stock and the modern "birdcage" flash suppressor. This rifle didn't come out until well after the Vietnam War had ended.
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Quotes
Jeff Portnoy: Let's move, we only have sixteen hours before they wake up!
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Byong: We no get money yet. Price now 100 million. You pay now, or tomorrow Simple Jack Die!
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Tugg Speedman: I have a son now. Little Half Squat.
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Faq
Q
Are any of the characters based on real people?
A
Yes, most are a combination of celebrities who have been known for one or more of the flaws that many of the movie characters have. Tug Speedman has been called a younger Sylvester Stallone, Vin Diesel, Steven Segal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes. Jeff "Fatts" Portnoy is likened mostly to Eddie Murphy but also to Chris Farley, Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen, Tom Arnold, and, to a lesser extent, it's a slight poke at Robert Downey Jr. with the references to the character's repeated drug arrests. Kirk Lazarus is likened to Colin Farrell, Daniel Day-Lewis, Heath Ledger, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey Jr. himself, Christian Bale, and Marlon Brando. With regard to Alpa Chino, take your pick of rapper-turned-actors. He's mainly a combination of Snoop Dogg, Will Smith and Lil' Jon in regards to Snoop Dogg putting his name on everything, Will Smith taking on a major film role to help boost his record/product sales and Lil' Jon having his own energy drink. Finally, Les Grossman has been likened to Hollywood producer Scott Rudin and also to Harvey Weinstein. Also Four Leaf Tayback seems to be inspired in part by authors Dick Marcinko and Tom Clancy.
Q
Is taking a drug to turn a white person black possible?
A
Sort of. There is a drug called methoxsalen, marketed under the trade name Oxsoralen that can be used in this way. Author John Howard Griffin used it, in conjunction with spending up to fifteen hours daily under an ultraviolet lamp, to darken his skin in order to investigate racial segregation in the south. He also used dye to cover the parts of his skin that were uneven. Griffin's experience is detailed in the non-fiction book Black Like Me (1961). Journalist Grace Halsell did the same, resulting in a book Soul Sister: The Journal of a White Woman Who Turned Herself Black and Went to Live and Work in Harlem and Mississippi (1969). Prior even to Griffin and Halsell, a journalist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette named Ray Sprigle attempted to do the same in 1947. This was before the advent of methoxsalen, so Sprigle attempted to deepen his skin color with walnut dye and iodine but eventually ended up suntanning himself darkly. In the movie, however, the process Kirk Lazarus Robert Downey Jr. uses is referred to in dialogue as a surgical procedure. At the end of the film, he removes his contact lenses and fake facial hair in the enemy camp, and later appears at the Oscars with his normal skin tone.
Q
How many versions of "Tropic Thunder" are there?
A
The theatrical version of "Tropic Thunder" got rated R by the MPAA. This version was later released on DVD as well as an Unrated Director's Cut. The Director's Cut runs more than 17 minutes longer than the theatrical cut and adds more story, dialogue and action to the film. A detailed comparison between both versions can be found here.
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Photos from cast
Robert Downey Jr.
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