The chess script with Kasparov called for a little girl to stymie him. I thought that was a predictable ending, but I asked the Riz to change it to a ‘fat’ black kid. He was receptive without any issue. He didn’t even ask why I wanted a change. I had used this terrific kid in a Pepsi commercial vignette and the scene was cut because someone at Pepsi felt the child was too heavy for a soda commercial. It was shameful because he was excellent in the scene. Anyway, he made the chess commercial a whole lot better.
Thanks, Riz.