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Original poster

Films that should have had someone else in the lead role

234 replies

SecondClassReturnToDottinghamPlease · 15/10/2023 23:32

I've got The Beach on in the background, and having read the book before it came out I was never convinced by Leonardo Di Caprio as Richard. I seem to remember Danny Boyle wanted the part to go to Ewan McGregor, who I think would have been much better. But it was felt LDC was a bigger actor who would have made the film more successful. It made me wonder about other films which would have been different if another actor was the lead role. Anyone got any examples?

OP posts:
TortolaParadise · 15/10/2023 23:39

I always though Keanu was meant for Die Hard and Idris for Mission Impossible.

pastypirate · 15/10/2023 23:43

The beach was so badly cast it was cringe

Original poster
SecondClassReturnToDottinghamPlease · 15/10/2023 23:43

I can't see the lovely Keanu in Die Hard, that was Bruce Willis all over. But yes, I will give you Idris in the Matrix.
Talking of LDC - I'm not sure if I am right about this but I think Gwyneth Paltrow may have been up for Rose. Not our English Rose, Kate Winslet. That was a better match. Love Kate.

OP posts:
Original poster
SecondClassReturnToDottinghamPlease · 15/10/2023 23:45

pastypirate · 15/10/2023 23:43

The beach was so badly cast it was cringe

Yeah, I kind of agree with you! I haven't seen it for years but put it on and am now MNing instead of watching it. It hasn't aged well.

OP posts:
Bells3032 · 15/10/2023 23:48

The south Pacific film with glen close was dreadful casting. She was about 50 and nelly is meant to be this 20 year old niave girl from the backwaters. The whole relationship was Emile is meant to be shocking as he's so much older than her. And it just doesn't work. She comes across as stupid rather than innocent and I love Glenn close in most things she's in

FredAndChips · 16/10/2023 00:07

Slightly different take, but i read an article the other day about how Burt Reynolds was in the frame to play Michael in the Godfather, and it was his feud with Marlon Brando that put a stop to it. It would have been a very different film had Burt gotten the part.

Thequeenofwishfulthinking · 16/10/2023 00:13

Tom Cruise should never have been cast as Jack Reacher in Reacher.
The character’s physical size is crucial to the role and Tom is not a fit.

SheilaFentiman · 16/10/2023 00:14

Anything with a massive age gap!

shivermetimbers77 · 16/10/2023 00:24

I know I’m going old school here but it really really should have been Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady, not Audrey Hepburn..

BibbleandSqwauk · 16/10/2023 03:37

Not quite the lead but v close, Russell Crowe as Javert in Les Mis. Only because of the singing though..he'd have been great if it had been a straight acting role but he's so bad it ruins it.

Also Benedict Cumberbatch in the Mauritanian. Plays an American with a deep south accent. Awful.

Greenberg2 · 16/10/2023 03:58

Thequeenofwishfulthinking · 16/10/2023 00:13

Tom Cruise should never have been cast as Jack Reacher in Reacher.
The character’s physical size is crucial to the role and Tom is not a fit.

I was coming on to say exactly this! Only someone really narcissistic (I'm pretty sure he was the exec producer) would cast themselves so badly. Such a shame as I love the books. Mind you the TV series is much, much better if you haven't seen that. I think the guy playing the lead role is perfect for it.

Greenberg2 · 16/10/2023 04:29

SheilaFentiman · 16/10/2023 00:14

Anything with a massive age gap!

Oh yes, Daniel Craig in the latest Bond movie. Really made me cringe.

Thequeenofwishfulthinking · 16/10/2023 05:36

Greenberg2 I think you are right about Tom being the Executive Producer. What a prat!
I’ve seen the first couple of episodes of the tv series and really enjoyed it. The guy playing Jack looks and acts like I imagined. His physical presence and size are spot on.
I need to watch the rest of the series.

Catsmere · 16/10/2023 06:12

Anything Mel Gibson was ever in, except maybe Gallipoli.

KateRose · 16/10/2023 06:21

I enjoyed Bridget Jones diary films but could see Kate Winslet would have been great as lead

mellongoose · 16/10/2023 06:33

When I read The DaVinci Code, I imagined Harrison Ford in the lead. Was disappointed he wasn't cast.

PermanentTemporary · 16/10/2023 06:46

I doubt anyone else has seen it, but Glenn Close again in Albert Nobbs. I wonder now if she'd had so much Botox she just couldn't move her face. I remember Janet McTeer seeming like a different species in the film, she channelled so much emotion and warmth and Close was this small grey area doing 'acting'. Really didn't work. I felt bad too because I knew that Close spent years of work to get the film made.

Thequeenofwishfulthinking · 16/10/2023 06:49

Melingoose I initially thought the same when I realised Tom Hanks had been cast.
i changed my mind once I watched the film though. He grew on me.

PrawnBhunaandaFlirtini · 16/10/2023 06:51

Agree so much with some of these, especially the beach and Bridget Jones!

I always think Felicity Jones was a bad choice in Rogue One. I really like her, but I couldn't believe she was a career criminal. Not badass at all

Luckydog7 · 16/10/2023 06:53

Depp in Charlie and the chocolate factory. He's a good character actor but he was the wrong one! He plays weird very well which is what he did. I've seen him play more conventional charming which is more of what we needed maybe with a few quirks like in the books. Tbh the whole film was bad and the new wonka film....just don't.

MissBattleaxe · 16/10/2023 06:53

YY to Russell Crowe as Javert. Bloody awful.

Mrsjayy · 16/10/2023 06:55

SecondClassReturnToDottinghamPlease · 15/10/2023 23:32

I've got The Beach on in the background, and having read the book before it came out I was never convinced by Leonardo Di Caprio as Richard. I seem to remember Danny Boyle wanted the part to go to Ewan McGregor, who I think would have been much better. But it was felt LDC was a bigger actor who would have made the film more successful. It made me wonder about other films which would have been different if another actor was the lead role. Anyone got any examples?

Ewan Mcgregor would have been better, I saw him on Graham Norton talking about the fall out they didn't speak for years, Ewan was apparently really miffed he didn't get the part.

pumpkinspicedbogroll · 16/10/2023 06:56

KateRose · 16/10/2023 06:21

I enjoyed Bridget Jones diary films but could see Kate Winslet would have been great as lead

Yes! I came to post the same thing.

delilabell · 16/10/2023 06:58

Harry potter. Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson

Yiayoula · 16/10/2023 07:02

Nicholas Cage in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin .
My cat could have made a better job of it .
In the real world , though , I think Ioan Gruffyd would have been ideal .

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