If it feels like you’ve been waiting since forever for “Machete” to hit theaters, well, you’re a little bit off the mark, but not too far. Since the arrival of its mock trailer in 2007’s “Grindhouse,” fans have been hootin’ and hollerin’ for an extended exploration of the brutal Machete, the culmination of the glorious Danny Trejo’s esteemed career playing ruthless badass after ruthless badass.
While Trejo is the major draw for “Machete,” he’s not the only one working hard on this crowd-pleasing ensemble — and no, we’re not even talking about Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro and their other high profile co-stars. After the jump, check out some of “Machete’s” unsung heroes that you may not know or may have forgotten all together!
Cheech Marin
As Machete’s holy brother Padre del Toro, Cheech Marin continues to move his game in a very different direction from the stoner comedies he was known for throughout most of his career. Having already starred in the previous “Machete” trailer, Marin once again finds himself in a starring role in a Robert Rodrigez-directed movie, previously playing three different characters in the filmmaker’s “From Dusk Till Dawn.”
Don Johnson
Is it insulting, hilarious or awesome that “Machete” is described as Don Johnson’s introductory performance? Let’s go with all three. Best known for his starring roles in “Miami Vice” and “Nash Bridges,” Johnson also took his best stab at a music career (”Heartbeat,” anyone?), but he also had some high profile personal problems. With “Machete,” Johnson is making a big screen comeback, his first time in a high profile film since the 1990s.
Jeff Fahey
If you don’t know who Jeff Fahey is, clearly you didn’t follow our “Lost” coverage this year. Although he’s inhabiting the villainous role of Michael Benz in “Machete,” Fahey is currently well known for playing snarky pilot Frank Lapidus on “Lost.” Before that, he starred in the lead role of “The Marshal” — a television series produced by Don Johnson, no less. Of course, we can’t forget his most important role as Jobe Smith in “Lawnmower Man,” one of the most terrifyingly awesome horror movies of the ’90s.
Tom Savini
Perhaps you don’t recognize his name or face, but you certainly know Tom Savini’s handiwork as a groundbreaking special effects and makeup artist in “Dawn of the Dead,” “Friday the 13th” and “Creepshow.” Savini has also appeared in front of cameras on plenty of occasions, including Rodriguez’s “From Dusk Till Dawn” as Sex Machine and Deputy Tolo in “Grindhouse.”
Lindsay Lohan
Alright, so Lindsay Lohan isn’t exactly an unknown player, but she’s certainly an unsung hero when it comes to “Machete” — so much so that a recent trailer nearly excised her entire role from the film. But as a gunslinging priest with plenty of attitude, not to mention praise from her co-stars, there’s a very good chance that LiLo’s “Machete” performance will cause many of her detractors to give the actress another shot.
Tell us what you think of “Machete’s” unsung heroes in the comments and on Twitter!
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