John Malkovich explains his decision to star in Con Air

John Malkovich accepted his role in the 1997 film Con Air after only reading a character list and a few lines of the script. He was drawn to the project by the concept of convicts on a plane named after poets and the involvement of producer Jerry Bruckheimer, recognizing its potential for success. Malkovich explained on Bill Maher's podcast that he isn't a snob about roles and saw depth beyond the action, contributing to the film's enduring popularity.