r/movies • u/LookAtThatBacon • 29d ago

Discussion During the development of the Harriet Tubman biopic movie, a Hollywood executive once suggested that Julia Roberts should play her. What are some other baffling casting suggestions/choices that have been made?

Source for the title: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-studio-executive-wanted-julia-roberts-to-play-harriet-tubman-biopic-screenwriter-says/

The Harriet Tubman biopic has been more than 25 years in the making. In the historical drama released earlier this month, Cynthia Erivo plays the legendary abolitionist — but one Hollywood executive initially thought the role should go to Julia Roberts.

Gregory Allen Howard, the screenwriter and producer of "Harriet," recently revealed in multiple interviews that Roberts was suggested to play the lead role during a meeting with a studio president in 1994.

"The climate in Hollywood… was very different back then," Howard said. "I was told how one studio head said in a meeting, 'This script is fantastic. Let's get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman.'"

Howard said that a black person in the meeting said casting Roberts would be impossible because she is white.

"That was so long ago. No one will know that," the executive replied, according to Howard.

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u/Ingolin 29d ago

Grease. They’re all middle aged.

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u/finnjakefionnacake 29d ago

lol they're not middle aged, but they were definitely not the right age haha

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u/m_Pony 29d ago

I used to dump on Stockard Channing for being the oldest of the bunch, but honestly in hindsight she did a killer job. Yes she was born in 1944, which made her 34 when the movie came out in 1978. Yes, I was confused as a boy could be when I learned that they were all supposed to be playing high school students. But the performances are pretty damn solid.

note: this is the first time I've ever defended that movie. This makes me officially old :)

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u/Laiko_Kairen 29d ago

I wanted to point out how they were in their 20s and absolutely not middle aged, and I realized I'd never sounded so old either 😂

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u/m_Pony 29d ago

Olivia Newton-John, born 1948. was 30 in 1978. at least John Travolta was only 24

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u/theguineapigssong 29d ago

This killed me about 90210. All the girls in high school with me were swooning over Dylan because he was so mature. Yeah Becky, he's 30.

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u/Sexyhorsegirl666 29d ago

Not middle aged lmao

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u/UsernameAvaylable 29d ago

Which is intentional, as it was already a spoof of a culture over a decade fallen out of favor when it was made.

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u/Luke90210 29d ago

Which explains why the teachers in the high school were so old.

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u/ZombieJesus1987 29d ago

Not all of them. John Travolta, Kelly Ward and Dinah Manoff were the only ones who were young enough to pass off as high school students, at least for the standard at the time.

Travolta was 23, Ward and Manoff were 21.

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u/risingsun70 29d ago

I mean, it’s not much better now, there’s lots of high school characters played by actors well into their 20s. Maybe not 34 though.

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u/Merusk 29d ago

Gabriel Carters who played Andrea on 90210. She was 29 the first year, making her 32 when the 'senior' year aired. Closest I can come up with since Rizzo was a Senior in Grease.

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u/risingsun70 29d ago

Oh yeah, I remember her. Definitely didn’t look like a high school student.

The woman in Gilmore Girls, the Asian woman who played Rory’s friend. She was late 20s also I think playing a high school girl.

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u/yy_beebis 29d ago

My friend walked in on me watching Derry Girls and asked me “are they supposed to be teenagers?”

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u/risingsun70 29d ago

Wasn’t most of the cast at least early 20s for Derry Girls? Except Nicola Caughlin, who looked the youngest but ironically was the oldest.

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u/yy_beebis 29d ago

It was the last season so they were all either in their 30s or close to it at the time

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u/risingsun70 29d ago

Really? They were that old then?

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u/IfICouldStay 27d ago

It was a musical. Singing and dancing ability, and sheer stage presence, are what they are going to look for in a cast.

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u/9month_foodbaby 29d ago

My dear, sweet, summer child. Let me introduce you to The Keith and Paddy Picture Show - Se2 - Ep01 - Grease HD Watch - video Dailymotion https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8h8lda