Hollywood’s Bizarre Casting Decisions
Hollywood’s bizarre casting decisions seem to know no bounds. And in addition to the bonehead ideas of studio executives, there are also those actors and actresses who’ve passed on roles of a lifetime. While these possibilities never materialized in our world, they did occur in some alternate universe where up is down and down is up. The first part of each entry details the real-world roles from some of your favorite films, while the second part looks at a bizarro world where schedules didn’t conflict, execs got what they wanted, and performers weren’t so picky. Read on, my friends, and marvel at what might’ve been.
(NOTE: I’m not making this up. All of these casting decisions could’ve happened.)
I should also note that all of the films listed below can be rented from Netflix. We get a small commission for sending you there, but your price isn’t affected at all. In some other universe, however, I like to imagine that we’re getting $10,000 per referral, and I’m having a steamy tryst with Jessica Alba. A man can always dream, can’t he?
RAIN MAN
In Our World
Charlie Babbitt – Tom Cruise
Raymond Babbitt – Dustin Hoffman
In Bizarro Hollywood
Charlie Babbitt – Dustin Hoffman
Raymond Babbitt – Bill Murray
PRETTY WOMAN
In Our World
Edward Lewis – Richard Gere
Vivian Ward – Julia Roberts
In Bizarro Hollywood
Edward Lewis – Christopher Reeve
Vivian Ward – Karen Allen
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
In Our World
Clarice Starling – Jodie Foster
In Bizarro Hollywood
Clarice Starling – Michelle Pfeiffer
BLAZING SADDLES
In Our World
Sheriff Bart – Cleavon Little
The Waco Kid – Gene Wilder
In Bizarro Hollywood
Sheriff Bart – Richard Pryor
The Waco Kid – Gig Young
FACE/OFF
In Our World
Sean Archer/Castor Troy – John Travolta
Castor Troy/Sean Archer – Nicolas Cage
In Bizarro Hollywood
Sean Archer/Castor Troy – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Castor Troy/Sean Archer – Sylvester Stallone
(the pairings of Al Pacino/Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford/Michael Douglas were also considered)
BAD BOYS
In Our World
Det. Mike Lowrey – Will Smith
Det. Marcus Burnett – Martin Lawrence
In Bizarro Hollywood
Det. Mike Lowrey – Dana Carvey
Det. Marcus Burnett – Jon Lovitz
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
In Our World
Andy Dufresne – Tim Robbins
Red Redding – Morgan Freeman
In Bizarro Hollywood
Andy Dufresne – Tom Hanks
Red Redding – Clint Eastwood
SUNSET BOULEVARD
In Our World
Norma Desmond – Gloria Swanson
Joe Gillis – William Holden
In Bizarro Hollywood
Norma Desmond – Mae West
Joe Gillis – Marlon Brando
THE MATRIX
In Our World
Neo – Keanu Reeves
Trinity – Carrie-Ann Moss
Morpheus – Laurence Fishburne
In Bizarro Hollywood
Neo – Will Smith
Trinity – Sandra Bullock
Morpheus – Sean Connery
COLLATERAL
In Our World
Max – Jaime Foxx
Vincent – Tom Cruise
In Bizarro Hollywood
Max – Adam Sandler
Vincent – Russell Crowe
GONE WITH THE WIND
In Our World
Scarlett O’Hara – Vivien Leigh
Rhett Butler – Clark Gable
In Bizarro Hollywood
Scarlett O’Hara – Paulette Goddard
Rhett Butler – Gary Cooper
MINORITY REPORT
In Our World
John Anderton – Tom Cruise
Lamar Burgess – Max von Sydow
Danny Witwer – Colin Farrell
Agatha – Samantha Morton
Iris Hineman – Lois Smith
Lara – Kathryn Morris
In Bizarro Hollywood
John Anderton – Tom Cruise
Lamar Burgess – Ian McKellen
Danny Witwer – Matt Damon
Agatha – Cate Blanchett
Iris Hineman – Meryl Streep
Lara – Jenna Elfman
MEN IN BLACK
In Our World
Agent K – Tommy Lee Jones
Agent J – Will Smith
Edgar – Vincent D-Onofrio
In Bizarro Hollywood
Agent K – Clint Eastwood
Agent J – Chris O’Donnell
Edgar – John Turturro
THE TERMINATOR
In Our World
The Terminator – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Kyle Reese – Michael Biehn
In Bizarro Hollywood
The Terminator – Lance Henriksen
Kyle Reese – Arnold Schwarzenegger
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS
In Our World
Frodo Baggins – Elijah Wood
Gandalf the Grey – Ian McKellen
Aragorn – Viggo Mortensen
Boromir – Sean Bean
Gimli – John Rhys-Davies
Elrond – Hugo Weaving
Bilbo Baggins – Ian Holm
In Bizarro Hollywood
Frodo Baggins – Elijah Wood
Gandalf the Grey – Sean Connery
Aragorn – Nicolas Cage
Boromir – Liam Neeson
Gimli – Billy Connolly
Elrond – David Bowie
Bilbo Baggins – Sylvester McCoy
POINT BREAK
In Our World
Johnny Utah – Keanu Reeves
Bodhi – Patrick Swayze
In Bizarro Hollywood
Johnny Utah – Matthew Broderick
Bodhi – Charlie Sheen
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S
In Our World
Holly Golightly – Audrey Hepburn
In Bizarro Hollywood
Marilyn Monroe
THE GODFATHER
In Our World
Don Vito Corleone – Marlon Brando
Michael Corleone – Al Pacino
Tom Hagen – Robert Duvall
Sonny Corleone – James Caan
Kay Adams – Diane Keaton
Carlo Rizzi – Gianni Russo
Moe Greene – Alex Rocco
Paulie Gatto – John Martino
In Bizarro Hollywood
Don Vito Corleone – Ernest Borgnine
Michael Corleone – Robert Redford
Tom Hagen – Steve McQueen
Sonny Corleone – Anthony Perkins
Kay Adams – Mia Farrow
Carlo Rizzi – Sylvester Stallone
Moe Greene – William Devane
Paulie Gatto – Robert De Niro
APOCALYPSE NOW
In Our World
Captain Benjamin Willard – Martin Sheen
Colonel Walter E. Kurtz – Marlon Brando
In Bizarro Hollywood
Capt. Benjamin Willard – Steve McQueen
Col. Walter Kurtz – Jack Nicholson
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
In Our World
C.K. Dexter Haven – Cary Grant
Macaulay Connor – Jams Stewart
Tracy Lord – Katharine Hepburn
In Bizarro Hollywood
C.K. Dexter Haven – Clark Gable
Macaulay Connor – Spencer Tracy
Tracy Lord – Katharine Hepburn
DEMOLITION MAN
In Our World
John Spartan – Sylvester Stallone
Simon Phoenix – Wesley Snipes
Lenina Huxley – Sandra Bullock
In Bizarro Hollywood
John Spartan – Steven Seagal
Simon Phoenix – Jean-Claude Van Damme
Lenina Huxley – Lori Petty
If you enjoyed this article on Hollywood’s bizarre casting decisions, be sure to check out the following articles:
- 100 Actors Who’ve Turned Down Big Movie Roles
- Cast the Gilligan’s Island Movie – Casting Couch
- Cast the Captain America Movie
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 at 4:38 pm and is filed under Casting Couch, Thoughts on Film. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
6 Responses to “Hollywood’s Bizarre Casting Decisions”
I agree with you, but it’s just one of many examples of wacky Hollywood casting. I’m sure Turturro would’ve done a fine job, but I thought Vincent D nailed it (just like he nails most of his roles).
I heard Sean Connery was offered a contract that included a proportion of revenue for the Lord of the Rings series. He turned it down because he didn’t ‘get it.’ I’m sure he’s not hurting for money though. It’s hard to imagine another actor in a memorable role, but some of them are truly mind boggling…
my dream is to play in the film.even in the small
Your style is very unique in comparison to other people I have read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this site.
Lovevdo69
John Turturro as Edgar. seriously? Vincent did it fantastically!