Who Else Almost Got the Role

As we all know, Hollywood is a fast moving and swiftly decisive business.  Pre Production can easily take months while the script is finalized, the locations are scouted, and the actors are selected and signed.  In this process of finding the right person for the role, there are a lot of factors that go into the final decision about who ultimately gets the part.  Sometimes actors want to take some time off, sometimes they have prior commitments, or sometimes the director just plain turns them down (because the studio wanted them).  What always interested me is the notion that what if some of the most famous roles in horror films actually got the original cast that was sought after?  As you may be surprised to see, some of the most illustrious roles that both made (or broke) careers could have turned out very differently…

Candyman (Dir: Bernard Rose – 1992). Situation:  Sandra Bullock would have gotten the role of Helen if Virginia Madsen wasn’t available.

At the time, Sandra Bullock’s most notable role to date was in Love Potion no. 9 (which also came out in 1992).  The role of Helen Lyle would have been a major break for her, but at the same time may have soured her chances at getting a role as the naïve but lovable cop Lt. Lenina Huxley in Demolition Man.  Most likely, her role in Demolition Man was what got her the notoriety to get her breakout role as Annie Porter in Speed.  What I’m trying to get at here is Sandra Bullock’s career today could have easily been filled with fever mindless romcoms.  I personally think that at the time she was a bit young for Helen Lyle (a Graduate Student) and a little too flighty to be considered a serious academic.  But then again, what the hell do I know?

Blade (Dir: Stephen Norrington – 1998). Situation:  Denzel Washington was considered for the role of Blade

This sounds like a dream team short list of major actors who could jump into a Hollywood action film that would sell tickets (aka: the studios idea).  While Denzel could more than hold his chops as an actor, I just don’t see him as the muscle bound half Vampire that Wesley Snipes pulled off magnificently.  Guess I’m not the only one that saw it that way.  The same year Fallen came out which Denzel nailed to the wall.   I’m glad everything worked out the way it did.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven – 1984). Actress: Courtney Cox auditioned for the role of Nancy Thompson

At this point in Courtney Cox’s career, she only had soap credits on her resume.  This role could have rocketed her to stardom much earlier that when Friends hit the scene in 1994.  I have absolutely no idea what Courtney Cox’s acting style was back in 1984, and I do love Heather Langenkamp in the role and all, but could you imagine Johnny Depp AND Courtney Cox getting their first shots in NOES?  Would have been rad.

Scream (Wes Craven – 1996). Actress: Janeane Garofalo turned down the part of Gail Weathers

I have no idea who thought that it would have been a good idea to put a Janeane Garofalo in the role.  I have no problems with her whatsoever; I just don’t see her in any capacity playing a shrewish TV news reporter.  I’m glad this went to Courtney Cox who did a good job with a pretty one dimensional character (I’m sure that Friends rep didn’t hurt at all either).   This movie would have been so different with Garofalo in the role, I don’t think I would have fallen into the world very easily with her slacker wit distracting me.

Silence of the Lambs (Dir: Jonathan Demme- 1991) Actor: Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of Hannibal Lector

At the time in 1991, Jack Nicholson had long been a massive movie star while Anthony Hopkins had made a slew of movies, but nothing that had solidified him in Hollywood as one of the greatest living actors.  Hopkins was deeply involved with the theater at the time and Demme was more interested in casting someone who wasn’t a household name.  Jack Nicholson wouldn’t have been Hannibal Lector, he would have been the joker without makeup.  I couldn’t image Wiley Jack as the subtle and terrifying Hannibal the Cannibal but I bet Jack would have made the movie pretty damn interesting.

Halloween (John Carpenter – 1978). Actor:  Christopher Lee turned down the role of Sam Loomis

For all intents and purposes, Donald Pleasence is Halloween.  Dr. Sam Loomis is what the boxing world would refer to as a “hype man” in the movie.  If it weren’t for Donald Pleasence running around ranting and raving at how terrifying Michael is (without any proof, to us or the viewer), he wouldn’t have been nearly as scary to anybody until he actually started to hack people up.  While Christopher Lee is an absolutely amazing actor, no one could play the borderline psychotic protector better than Donald Pleasance.

From Dusk till Dawn (Robert Rodriguez – 1997). Actor: Christopher Walken turned down the role of Seth Gecko

This news is just flat out insane.  In 1997, George Clooney was on a hit television show (E.R.) and it became clear to everyone that this man would inevitable be a movie star.  From Dusk Till Dawn was his first starring gig in a major motion picture.  There is no arguing that George Clooney showed exceptional range with his portrayal of Seth Gecko and teamed along with the epic nature of how Robert Rodriguez shot the film, it’s clear that he played a pivotal role in making George Clooney a star.  But after all of that, it would have been something to see Christopher Walken destroying all kinds of vampires well into his fifties.  Then again, O’Brother Where Art Thou? may not have had George Clooney in it.  That would have been a crime.

So what do you think?  Would you rather have seen Walken and Denzel destroying vampires?  Would you have liked to see what a young Courtney Cox could have done against Freddy?  You know of any other good casting miscues or mistakes that were blessings in disguise?  Let’s hear about them!

Special thanks to the research goes to www.notstarring.com.