It’s difficult to hear Bruce Willis’ name without thinking: Die Hard; or picture Mark Paul Gosselaar as anything but 90’s sitcom heartthrob Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell. Similarly, Claire Forlani will always have a place in our hearts as Dr. Susan Parish from Meet Joe Black. However, in the action-packed thriller Precious Cargo, these talented actors come together and in roles so compelling and different, we can almost forget those career defining roles of the past.
Arriving in cinemas and on demand from July 15th, 2016, Precious Cargo opens on a murderous crime boss, Eddie (Willis) in search of Karen (Forlani), the seductive thief who failed him in a botched heist.
In order to win back Eddie’s trust, Karen recruits her ex-lover and premier thief Jack (Gosselaar) to steal a cargo of rare precious gems. But when the job goes down, allegiances are betrayed and lines are crossed as Jack, Karen, and Eddie face off in a fateful showdown.
In celebration of three actors so well remembered for their breakout roles, here’s a look back at those, and the other significant work in their respective careers leading up to the release of Precious Cargo.
Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis as John McClane in Die Hard (1989)
Though first introduced to the world on the small screen as a comedic actor on the television series, Moonlighting, opposite Cybill Shepherd, it was Bruce Willis’ appearance in the 1988 film Die Hard that solidified his place in Hollywood as the go-to action film star of the 90’s. What followed were two more instalments of the Die Hard series including Die Hard 2, and Die Hard with a Vengeance. These films, along with his portrayal of Butch Coolidge in Quentin Tarantino’s award winning film Pulp Fiction, and starring roles in blockbusters like Armageddon and M. Knight Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense have continued to keep Willis on the list of most coveted starring vehicles in Hollywood over the years. Though traditionally playing the “good guy,” with equal knack for comedy, as he has for action, in Precious Cargo, Willis shows his impressive range by easily shifting into the complicated role of a deranged villain. Despite the dramatic nature of the film, the now 61 year old Hollywood vet still adds a bit of signature charm and humour to the complex character in a way that only Bruce Willis can.
Claire Forlani
Forlani and Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black (1998)
English born actress Claire Forlani first got her start in Hollywood in the American TV mini-series JFK: Reckless Youth as Ann Cannon, old college girlfriend to the president. From there, the young beauty scored a role in the 1995 popular Rom-Com, Mallrats. One year later, Forlani was cast in the 1996 action film, The Rock working alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as Michael Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer, Sean Connery, and Nicholas Cage. 1998 brought Forlani her breakout role in Meet Joe Black as Dr. Susan Parish, love interest to international heartthrob Brad Pitt. Following the success of Meet Joe Black, Forlani returned to the small screen for stints on both CSI: New York, and CSI: Los Angeles. Forlani’s wide range of roles in all categories of film and television over the years demonstrates her flexibility to tackle any role. In Precious Cargo, it’s a delight to see Forlani portray a slighter darker role than she’s taken on in some time.
Mark Paul- Gosselaar
Gosselaar in Saved by the Bell.
Bleach Blonde hair, pastel t-shirts with acid-washed jeans, a mischievous yet winning grin, and a giant portable phone glued to his ear, the image of Zack Morris is permanently etched in all our brains as an iconic memory of 90s sitcom television. However, Mark Paul- Gosselaar’s career actually started long before he was cast as the star of Saved by the Bell at age 15. The young California native grew up in showbiz; beginning as a child model at 5, Gosselaar guest starred in numerous popular sitcoms including The Wonder Years, Punky Brewster, and The Twilight Zone to name but a few. Saved by the Bell ran for 4 seasons, but Gosselaar continued to reprise the role of Zack Morris well beyond the series’ end in several different spin off series throughout the 90’s. Gosselaar has since worked on several television hits throughout his career including Hyperion Bay, NYPD Blue, Franklin & Bash, and CSI. Gosselaar has also worked on a number of films over the years including 1998 drama Dead Man on Campus, and most recently, the 2015 crime thriller Heist working alongside Robert De Niro, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Kate Bosworth. In Precious Cargo, Gosselaar shows us he’s come a long way since his days as suave trouble maker Zack Morris. However, despite admiring his notably heftier acting chops, we can’t help but admit that winning grin of his is still his Gosselaar’s secret weapon.
PRECIOUS CARGO is in cinemas and on demand from July 15th
courtesy of Signature Entertainment.
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