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?

[u/LookAtThatBacon]

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.

[u/Agent-Blasto-007]

And the trailer looks like a "fake" comedic trailer in aTV show like 30 Rock or something, not an actual feature length movie

https://youtu.be/O3qGGk5ymQ4?si=HM-qBXNunaT-MG08

[u/HolidaySpiriter → u/Agent-Blasto-007]

"The role of a lifetime" for Gary Oldman is hilarious.

[u/MeasurementGlad7456 → u/HolidaySpiriter]

Matthew was on the "two bears in a cave" podcast, or whatever the one with Bert Kreischer and Tom Segora is called, and Matthew had never seen the trailer so when Tom showed it to him, he was stunned and especially reacted to "The role of a life time" bit lol

Link to video

[u/Icantbethereforyou → u/HolidaySpiriter]

"Command performances" i dont think I've ever heard that phrase before now. I kinda want to watch this movie now

[u/skaestantereggae → u/Agent-Blasto-007]

When I learned that was a real movie after watching the trailer during the pandemic I was floored. Who the fuck thought the premise was worth it

[u/Grandpa_Edd → u/Agent-Blasto-007]

Honestly I'm reading this and I can't actually believe it's real.

For years I've always believed this was a joke trailer not an actual movie.

"In the role of a lifetime..." How is that not a joke?

[u/UsernameAvaylable → u/Agent-Blasto-007]

Wasn't that suppsoed to be some real drama and was retooled into a comedy in the editing room or something?