Cast Aside: Actors Who Almost Got the Part

A discussion of Older Sci-Fi Movies the other night put me in mind of actors who were 'almost-cast' in well-known movies. I said I might do a thread on that, so here it is.

I used a single source (NBC New York) for this, because there were only certain ones I wanted to mention initially. So I've left plenty of room for others to have lots of fun with this. And with that....

Cast Aside: Actors Who Almost Got the Part

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest [1975]

Jack Nicholson brought home one of those statuettes for his memorable turn as McMurphy. It's hard to imagine any other actor in the part, including James Caan, who was first offered the role.

The Shining [1980]

"Heeeere's Johnny!" would have taken on an entirely different timbre had it been uttered by Robin Williams, who was considered for the role along with Robert DeNiro. In fact, the line might never have existed because it was improvised by Nicholson.

Forrest Gump [1994]

Filmmakers had first gone in a completely different direction. John Travolta turned down the role that earned Tom Hanks an Oscar and Golden Globe.

The Terminator [1984]

The studio suggested that director James Cameron try O.J. Simpson for the role of The Terminator. One of the producers said in a 2001 documentary that Cameron hadn't thought that Simpson would be believable as a killer. We are not even touching that one.

reply to post by Ex_CT2


Wow, all I can say is thank god history took the route it did to become today instead of what that other mob of us are experiencing in the other dimension, where john travolta says "Life is like a box of chocolates. Down your gizzard with a rubber lizard, mr kotter!" or with mork deriding all work and no play as he shines his axe.

I really don't see OJ as arnie either. To even try to imagine scenes with him in place renders the entire thing absurd.

"your clothes, give them to me homey."

nahhhh..

Didn't Arnold and OJ Both make their own Terminator movies? Well, OJ's was more 'evidence photos' than 'movie'....

Shut up, you were thinking it.

reply to post by winofiend


Thanks for the visual of our unfortunate alternate-universe counterparts. Made my day.

Imagine this:

Comedian Chris Farley was cast as the voice of Shrek, but tragically passed away before major shooting began. His SNL buddy, Mike Myers, stepped into the role in his place.

And that iconic fedora was slated to sit atop of Tom Sellec as Indiana Jones. But his contractual obligation on Magnum P.I. prevented him from taking the role, Harrison Ford was cast instead.

Originally posted by Krakatoa
Imagine this:

Comedian Chris Farley was cast as the voice of Shrek, but tragically passed away before major shooting began. His SNL buddy, Mike Myers, stepped into the role in his place.

And that iconic fedora was slated to sit atop of Tom Sellec as Indiana Jones. But his contractual obligation on Magnum P.I. prevented him from taking the role, Harrison Ford was cast instead.

Wow! Hey, check this out:

Bill Murray
Much like his real-life friend, Chevy Chase, Bill has proven to not be the sharpest knife in the drawer either. Bill turned down the roles of Han Solo, “Boone” Schoenstein (in "Animal House"), Johnny Smith (in "The Dead Zone"), Allen Bauer (in "Splash"), Dusty Bottoms (in "The Three Amigos"), Daryl van Horne (in "The Witches of Eastwick"), Eddie Vaiant (in "Who Framed Roger Rabbitt?"), Charlie Babbitt (in "Rain Man"), Bruce Wayne (in Tim Burton's "Batman"), John Kimble (in "Kindergarten Cop"), Joe Miller (in "Philadelphia"), Forrest Gump, Buzz Lightyear, Larry Flynt, Pat Healy (in "There's Something About Mary"), Sully (in "Monsters, Inc"), Willie Stokes (in "Bad Santa"), Willy Wonka (in "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory"), Indiana Jones, Hunt Stevenson (in "Gung Ho"), Peter Venkman (in "Ghostbusters 3"), Bosley (in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle"), Dave Seville (in "Alvin & The Chipmunks"), and a cameo (that would have been classic) in Steve Martin's "The Jerk."

Originally posted by Krakatoa
Imagine this:

Comedian Chris Farley was cast as the voice of Shrek, but tragically passed away before major shooting began. His SNL buddy, Mike Myers, stepped into the role in his place.

And that iconic fedora was slated to sit atop of Tom Sellec as Indiana Jones. But his contractual obligation on Magnum P.I. prevented him from taking the role, Harrison Ford was cast instead.

Lol damn it, I just spent ages trying to find Farley as Shrek online. Seems not to be found.

I had no idea. Man, how they allegedly changed the entire movie after he died to fit Meyers. Yikes. Shame.

Haha I did have to chuckle at this however,

Seeing this early design of Shrek reminded me that the late Chris Farley was set to play the role of Shrek and only couldnt on account of him not being alive anymore. The softer more Disneyfied Mike Meyes Shrek is a stark contrast to the weirder rougher design Farley may have given life to in an alternate universe.

If the Parallel Dimensions theory is correct, right after the one where I’m a perpetually shirtless iron fisted but compassionate dictator with angel wings, a viking helmet and laser-eyes — I would like to peek into the alternate reality where this happened (notsomuch the others in the list

He stole my parallel dimension wot where movie stars done did different things.... sneaky bugger probably has some sort of device to know what I was thinking before I thought it.

*shakes parallel fist in other universe*

Originally posted by winofiend

He stole my parallel dimension wot where movie stars done did different things.... sneaky bugger probably has some sort of device to know what I was thinking before I thought it.

*shakes parallel fist in other universe*

I hate when that happens....

reply to post by Ex_CT2


This is a fairly obvious one I think everyone knows about anyway, but Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly instead of Michael J. Fox in the Back to the Future movies.

Stoltz was originally cast as teen time-traveller Marty McFly, but sacked after director Robert Zemeckis and producer Steven Spielberg watched the rough footage and decided he wasn't getting laughs. Michael J Fox was brought in. Facially similar – but funnier.

Wonder how that would have turned out? I couldn't imagine anyone other than Fox as McFly.
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