Alfred Gough explains how one of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s more notable celebrity cameos came to be, and how it wasn’t always intended for this specific Tim Burton collaborator. In the opening act of the 2024 sequel to the 1988 horror comedy, Danny DeVito makes a surprising appearance as a janitor working in the corridor of the Afterlife. While cleaning and listening to the Bee Gees, the character accidentally knocks over a selection of boxes of loose body parts, leading to the return of Betelgeuse’s (Michael Keaton) ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci), and becoming the first victim of her quest for revenge.
With DeVito’s ghost being one of the first new spirits that audiences meet in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Gough broke down the secrets of the brief cameo to Entertainment Weekly. Despite being a frequent creative collaborator to Burton, the role wasn’t intended for the actor during writing, with the director later casting DeVito, though Gough looked forward to viewers seeing him so early on in the movie’s runtime. Check out Gough’s response below:
Tim called Danny and Danny said yes in a minute and came and did it, which was great. It’s such a fun surprise in the movie right at the beginning… That’s beyond my sleuthing purview for trailers.
How Long Have Danny DeVito & Tim Burton Worked Together
The Pair Have Crafted Iconic Characters Together
As of his appearance in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, DeVito has worked alongside Burton on five features to date. The pair first worked together on 1992’s Batman Returns alongside the Ghost with the Most himself, Michael Keaton, where DeVito played a more animalistic version of comic book villain The Penguin. While not Burton’s first choice for the character, the heavily German Expressionism-inspired reimagining of the character has since been celebrated as one of the Caped Crusader’s best-adapted villains to the big screen, despite its liberties.
While DeVito would only make a brief cameo as a gambler amid the chaos of Mars Attacks!, he would receive a more substantial role as circus ringmaster Amos Calloway in Big Fish, one of Edward Bloom’s (Ewan McGregor) many fantastic acquaintances who introduces him to Sandra (Alison Lohman). Finally, 16 years after Big Fish‘s release, DeVito reunited with Burton on 2019’s live-action Dumbo adaptation, once more taking on the supporting role of another ringmaster, this time playing Max Medici. While his roles, including Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s janitor have varied in size, both creatives greatly respect one another.
Though brief, DeVito’s inclusion in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a fun addition for viewers familiar with Burton and the actor’s history. Alongside Keaton, he is one of Burton’s most memorable recurring stars, and his ghost isn’t only memorable but helps set the stakes of Betelgeuse’s story. As such, while DeVito is a beloved, highly recognizable star, his appearance doesn’t feel overpowering and fits naturally into the movie.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
