# Why the heck was Don Cheadle uncredited in Ocean's Eleven? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129 "2003-02-10T16:45:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/1 "2003-02-10T16:45:20Z")
His role was bigger than many who were credited. Was there some legal reason for it? He was one of the eleven, fer Christ’s sake? And I see from his [imdb.com](http://imdb.com) Trivia that he “Appears uncredited in two back-to-back movies, Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Ocean’s Eleven (2001). He played a criminal in both films.” Anyone know the reason for him not being credited? Does it have something to do with playing a criminal? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/2 "2003-02-10T16:53:13Z")
OK, maybe I found the answer in a USENET posting found with Google: From someone calling themselves _Bluto ([gluteus@moonman.com](mailto:gluteus@moonman.com))_ in newsgroup alt.video.dvd > [@](#): > > FWIW, the following was posted in in Roger Ebert’s Chicago Sun-Times Answer > Man: > > "Q. In a recent AM, you said Don Cheadle’s name was omitted from the credits > of “Ocean’s Eleven” as a kind of “reverse-prestige thing.” For what it’s > worth, Tom King of the Wall Street Journal has reported that after contentious > salary and credit negotiations with the film’s producers, a disgusted Mr. > Cheadle voluntarily withdrew his name altogether from consideration for > inclusion in the credits. > > Ben Bass, Chicago > > A. Thanks for setting the record straight." ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/3 "2003-02-10T16:53:32Z")
That _is_ strange. Before the movie came out, I wondered why he received as much attention as he did. I remember teasers for interviews with the cast saying something to the effect of: "Friday! We talk to Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, and _Don Cheadle_! At the time I was like “Who’s Don Cheadle? And why are they pretending that he’s as big a star as the rest of them?” No offense to Cheadle, of course. I know who he is now - and he’s excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/4 "2003-02-10T17:09:30Z")
I first noticed him in _Boogie Nights_. He is indeed an excellent actor. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/5 "2003-02-10T17:24:21Z")
“We’re in Barney! . . . Rubble. . . Trouble!” Is Cheadle American? 'Cause that was a pretty good accent. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/6 "2003-02-10T17:43:27Z")
He was born in Kansas City, Missouri accroding to the imdb. ---
**Author:** ![Spurious\_George](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Spurious\_George](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spurious_George)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/7 "2003-02-10T17:54:48Z")
Really, you thought that was a good accent? I thought it was one of the worst I ever heard. I think Mr. Cheadle is one of our finest actors, but the accent nearly ruins a very good movie for me. I saw a preview screening of _Ocean’s Eleven_, and when I filled out the little card afterwards I _begged_ them to re-dub his lines. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/8 "2003-02-10T18:08:11Z")
His accent stunk, but that’s about the only thing he’s ever done badly. I’ve liked Cheadle since _Picket Fences_\*; Ocean’s 11 is his worst role by far. (Though the movie is fun.) ---
**Author:** ![DreadLead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@DreadLead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadLead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/9 "2003-02-12T02:28:13Z")
His accent SUCKED in that crappy movie, but he is a damn fine actor who’s ability goes beyond typical Hollywood garbage. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/10 "2003-02-12T02:35:35Z")
I thought his accent was pretty good, and said as much to the friend I saw the movie with. He still hasn’t let me live it down. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/11 "2003-02-12T02:41:58Z")
His accent sounded OK to me, but I’m just a stupid American who doesn’t know any better. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/12 "2003-02-12T03:01:05Z")
> [@](#): > > For what it’s worth, Tom King of the Wall Street Journal has reported that after contentious salary and credit negotiations with the film’s producers, a disgusted Mr. Cheadle voluntarily withdrew his name altogether from consideration for inclusion in the credits. I hope it didn’t ruin his friendship with Steven Soderbergh, as he has appeared in several of his movies. I see that there is a sequel, **Ocean’s Twelve** , with one Producer also listed as being a Producer for **Ocean’s Eleven**. (Jerry Weintraub). It doesn’t say who the twelve will be yet in the IMDb page, though… ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/13 "2003-02-12T03:58:26Z")
Wasn’t he uncredited in _Traffic_ too? I can’t quite remember the details but someone started a thread similar to this awhile back and speculated that he kept getting his name left out because Hollywood is racist, lol. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-heck-was-don-cheadle-uncredited-in-oceans-eleven/154129/14 "2003-02-12T10:50:59Z")
Don Cheadle took “uncredited”, and made it… UNCREDITED. I’ll go away now.