The cast for Robert Rodriguez’ Machete Kills keeps getting weirder, even a month after the start of principal photography. Rodriguez took to Twitter to announce the casting of singer/songwriter Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (better known as Lady Gaga) and revealed a poster for her character in the Mexploitation sequel.
Gaga is part of a cast that sees Danny Trejo back as the eponymous ex-federale (who don’t text), along with Mel Gibson playing a “Bond-style villain” and Charlie Sheen serving as U.S. president. The film’s leading ladies also include Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Zoe Saldana, Amber Heard, and Alexa Vega (more on her later).
Rodriguez announced that Gaga has completed her role in Machete Kills as “La Chameleón,” a gun-wielding warrior gal decked out in a wolf coat (among other accessories). To quote the Tejano writer/director/producer/composer:
I just finished working with @LadyGaga on @MacheteKills , she kicked SO MUCH ASS! Holy Smokes. Blown away!
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Machete Kills tones down the political overtones of its predecessor (and not-so-subtle jabs at the treatment of Mexican immigrants). The sequel also turns Trejo’s alter-ego into a James Bond figure saving the country, as opposed to acting out a violent revenge fantasy against corrupt police and right-wing politicians who oppress the Latino masses. Of course, Rodriguez isn’t abandoning all exploitation genre tropes with his Machete sequel, nor will the film lack any politically-charged bite (remember: the plot involves the government hiring Trejo to battle Gibson). Machete Kills is still a proper Grindhouse homage, with requisite female eye candy.
Case in point: see the pic Vega tweeted of herself “in character” from the Machete Kills set. Needless to say, she’s grown-up a good deal since her days appearing in Rodriguez’ Spy Kids trilogy a decade ago (and her role in the cult horror/musical Repo! The Genetic Opera).
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Casting is (officially, at least) ongoing for Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, which Rodriguez begins shooting shortly after he wraps production on Machete Kills. The former has already been marked down for an October 2013 release date, so expect the Machete sequel to arrive sometime before then.
We’ll keep you updated on Machete Kills in the meantime.
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