Actors Who Were Replaced In The Middle Of Shooting (17 pics)
James Purefoy Was Replaced By Hugo Weaving In V For Vendetta
The iconic character from V for Vendetta may have had different mannerisms if the director had decided to go with his first pick for the role. James Purefoy played the part of V for a whole 6 weeks of filming before it was decided he couldn't properly emote while wearing a mask. Hugo Weaving was asked to take over as V, and it's his portrayal that we see in the movie.
James Remar Was Replaced By Michael Biehn In Aliens
At first, Hicks was meant to be played by James Remar, but he was fired after a few weeks of filming due to creative differences, and the role was given to Michael Biehn. Later, Remar himself admitted he had a drug problem and lost the role because he was in possession of drugs.
Samantha Morton Was Replaced By Scarlett Johansson In Her
Two-time Academy Award nominee Samantha Morton was cast as the voice for the AI assistant named Samantha in Her. However, in postproduction, it became apparent that the voice for the AI needed something other than what Morton could bring. "When we started editing, we realized that what the character/movie needed was different from what Samantha and I had created together," said the director. So the role was given to Scarlett Johansson.
Kel O'Neill Was Replaced By Paul Dano In There Will Be Blood
Kel O'Neill was cast in the role of Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood, together with the household name Daniel Day-Lewis. However, after filming started, O'Neill wasn't quite the best fit, and even the actor himself realized it. The role was then given to Paul Dano, who was already on set, playing the role of Eli's brother (the script was simply adjusted to include identical twins).
Dougray Scott Was Replaced By Hugh Jackman In X-Men
The role of Wolverine was originally intended for Dougray Scott, who, back in 1999, was making quite a name for himself. However, Scott's other project dragged on and he wasn't available when the X-Men started filming, thus the role was given to Hugh Jackman and the rest is history.
Nicole Kidman Was Replaced By Jodie Foster In Panic Room
Nicole Kidman had already begun filming for the role of the distressed mother in Panic Room when she injured her knee. Unfortunately, she had previously injured the same spot while filming Moulin Rouge and now had a hairline fracture which left her unable to continue filming. The role was given to Jodie Foster, who had to shut down the movie she was about to direct because the star, Russell Crowe, was injured.
Sylvester Stallone Was Replaced By Eddie Murphy In Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop is a comedy classic, but when Sylvester Stallone was cast as Axel Foley, he wanted to shift the script to include more heroics for his character, essentially turning Alex into a certified action figure. Such a take on the film was rejected and Stallone was replaced by Eddie Murphy, who gave the film his comedic charm.
Kevin Spacey Was Replaced By Christopher Plummer In All The Money In The World
Kevin Spacey was initially supposed to play the role of an oil tycoon. But due to sexual assault allegations involving him, director Ridley Scott quickly removed him from the movie, reshooting all his scenes with Christopher Plummer, who even received a nomination for an Academy Award.
Lori Petty Was Replaced By Sandra Bullock In Demolition Man
Back in the '90s, Lori Petty was making a name for herself as a reliable actress and was set to appear in Demolition Man together with big names like Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. However, she reportedly didn't get along with Stallone and was replaced by a relative newcomer in the industry—Sandra Bullock.
Dennis Hopper Was Replaced By Ed Harris In The Truman Show
The role of Christof, the mastermind behind The Truman Show, was initially given to Dennis Hopper. However, there were difficulties with his portrayal (with a possible allegation of forgetting his lines), and so the role was then assigned to Ed Harris, who nailed it.
Julianne Moore Was Replaced By Melissa Mccarthy In Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Julianne Moore was let go from her role in Can You Ever Forgive Me a mere 6 days before filming started. Moore admitted her opinion diverged from the director's: "I think that her idea of where the character was, was different than where my idea of where the character was.” Reportedly, the actress wanted to wear a fat suit to appear more like the real-life person she would portray. Moore was replaced by Melissa McCarthy, who was even nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award.
Harvey Keitel Was Replaced By Martin Sheen In Apocalypse Now
Harvey Keitel was hired to play the role of Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now, despite not being the director's first choice. However, his portrayal lacked the passive feeling that the director envisioned, so the role was offered to Martin Sheen, who, incidentally, was the first pick, but couldn't initially take on the role due to scheduling conflicts.
Jean-Claude Van Damme Was Replaced By Kevin Peter Hall In Predator
The Predator may be recognizable by its look, but not the actor behind it. Jean-Claude Van Damme was going to embody the feared hunter, but apparently the prosthetics and the costume were so stifling, the actor even passed out wearing them. The real reason why Van Damme left the project is a bit of a mystery, but his place was taken by Kevin Peter Hall.
Ryan Gosling Was Replaced By Mark Wahlberg In The Lovely Bones
The Lovely Bones centers its story around a missing girl and her family, and the role of the father was supposed to go to Ryan Gosling, who, in order to better represent the man he was meant to play, put on some weight. Gosling reasoned that he was a stressed father whose daughter was gone, so he thought it was fitting, but director Peter Jackson disagreed, and Gosling was replaced by Mark Wahlberg.
Annette Bening Was Replaced By Michelle Pfeiffer In Batman Returns
Oscar nominee Annette Bening was originally cast in the iconic role of Catwoman. However, Bening had to leave the production when she became pregnant. Michelle Pfeiffer then stepped in to fill in her shoes. The change was unexpected, and Pfeiffer was even said to have worn outfits measured for her predecessor because of the rush to start filming her scenes.
Colin Firth Was Replaced By Ben Whishaw In Paddington
The wonderful talking bear Paddington was originally supposed to be voiced by Colin Firth, but somewhere down the line (after the actor recorded most of his lines), the realization set in that the actor's voice didn't match the animation of the cute bear. “It’s been bittersweet to see this delightful creature take shape and come to the sad realization that he simply doesn’t have my voice.” Firth was replaced by Ben Whishaw.
Stuart Townsend Was Replaced By Viggo Mortensen In Lord Of The Rings
Stuart Townsend was a relatively new name in the industry when he was cast as Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. But when filming began, he lasted only a few days. The director was quick to notice Townsend was too young to play the Strider, and the role was given to Viggo Mortenson, who gave an iconic performance.
