UFC Fighter Rampage Jackson Is The A-Team’s New B.A. Baracus
More MMA fighters are invading your action movies. We just had the report that female fighterGina Caranowould be starring in Steven Soderbergh’s next film. Now there is a credible report that former UFC champRampage Jackson, tagged for the role over a year ago, has arrived in Vancouver, where he’ll spend the next six weeks sporting a mohawk and gold chains asThe A-Team’s resident malcontent mechanic B.A. Baracus.
The role is a loaded one, as it brokeMr. Tinto global superstardom during the show’s original run from 1983 to 1987. TheVancouver Sunreports now that Rampage Jackson (real name: Quinton Ramone Jackson) was just recently cast in the film, after a high-profile string of rumors had pegged nearly every possible African-American actor or celebrity with the proper build to join the film.When John Singleton was directing the film there was a lot of talk about Jackson taking the role, so this isn’t much of a surprise. Jackson has a minor career as an actor (he’s got credits inMidnight Meat Train, among other things, but this will be his first major role.)
The joke in the show was that B.A. stood for ‘bad attitude’ and that seems appropriate given the character’s new actor. One of Rampage Jackson’s more famous recent exploits was his excursion into reckless driving — kind of an understatement as Jackson led police on an extended chase while driving on the wrong side of the road in a Ford F-350 that has his portrait painted on it. Too bad about that, as he’s got a fairly impressive record in the ring. (Sorry, the Octagon.)
Can Jackson turn his B.A. into the sort of figure that Mr. T promoted? Good question, and Jackson is fairly charismatic. Check out his Jimmy Kimmel appearance last year (around the time of the originalA-Teamrumors) for a little suggestion of his potential as B.A. Baracus. Granted, at the end of the day this is just anA-Teammovie. Not exactly serious stuff. Once again, Joe Carnahan (Narc,Smokin' Aces) is directing Jackson alongside Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck and a reported Liam Neeson as Col. John ‘Hannibal’ Smith.
