How Leonardo DiCaprio will portray deranged plantation owner Calvin Candie in "Django Unchained" has been unveiled in a first official photo of the Quentin Tarantino-directed spaghetti western film. Channeling his evil persona, DiCaprio is pictured holding a hammer while smoking a pipe. He looks dapper in maroon three-piece suit complete with a well-trimmed beard and a sleek hair style.
Additionally, The Weinstein Company released a still that shows Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx walking side by side. Portraying German bounty hunter King Schultz, Waltz is featured rocking a gray suit under his long coat. Foxx, who plays the titular slave, is pictured sporting a Cowboy look complete with its hat while carrying a horse saddle on his left shoulder.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Foxx described Jango as "Richard Roundtree meets Clint Eastwood." The Oscar winner also described DiCaprio's Candie as "a businessman who owns plantation called Candie Land, and that's where my wife ends up being." To find his wife, Foxx said that Django has to "get in good with Candie, by me playing a valet for Christoph's character."
Speaking about the relationship between Django and Schultz, Foxx dished, "Christoph's character is a little aloof to what slavery actually is. He's not familiar with everything, and when he sees atrocities, it's Greek to him. But Django lets him know this is the way the world is and we got to get used to it."
"He [Schultz] teaches Django certain things he needs to become a whole man, and [Django] also teaches Christoph that when life deals you these cards, here's what you've got to do," the 44-year-old actor went on explaining. "All Django wants to do is get his wife. He's not trying to cure or solve slavery. He just wants to get his life back."
As for the slavery subject highlighted in the movie, Foxx explained, "There's a beautiful way [Tarantino] found for the characters to talk to each other. It's mind-blowing. You've never heard it this way." He added, "You've seen movies deal with slavery - or westerns that never dealt with slavery - do it the safe way. This way is like... wow."
"Django Unchained" is also supported by a set of notable actors, including Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington, Kurt Russell, Sacha Baron Cohen, RZA and many more. Tarantino provides the script for this slavery-era movie in addition to directing it. Despite its genre, the film will be released in the U.S. just in time for Christmas holiday on December 25.