Daniel Stern Reveals Why He Turned Down Directing 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'
Daniel Stern, best known for his roles in 'Home Alone' and 'City Slickers,' recently shared why he turned down the opportunity to direct 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective' after directing 'Rookie of the Year.'
Stern's Success as a Director
Daniel Stern, known for his acting roles in popular films like 'Home Alone' and 'City Slickers,' also has directorial credits to his name. In 1993, Stern directed the film 'Rookie of the Year,' which tells the story of a Little League baseball player who becomes a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. The success of this film led to Stern receiving numerous offers to direct other movies.
Turning Down 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'
Despite the offers pouring in after the success of 'Rookie of the Year,' Stern ultimately turned down the opportunity to direct 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.' In an interview with ComicBook, Stern explained that at the time, he was busy with sequels to 'Home Alone' and 'City Slickers.' The financial success he experienced from these projects made him hesitant to jump into directing, as he wanted to secure his financial future for his family.
Stern shared, 'I hit the cash cow for the one and only time in my life as an actor and it was like, ‘I don’t think I can jump out with my family. I got to sock some of this away.'
Stern's Directing Career
Although Stern turned down 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,' he continued to pursue his directing ambitions. He directed episodes of 'The Wonder Years,' a show in which he also provided the narration as Adult Kevin Arnold. Stern also directed the television series 'Manhattan,' which aired a few years ago and focused on the atomic bomb.
Currently, Stern stars in the Apple TV+ series 'For All Mankind' as Eli Hobson, the new administrator of NASA. Despite his success as an actor and director, Stern admitted that he doesn't feel confident directing a project as grand as 'For All Mankind,' stating that it is too big and too technical for him to take on.
