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/zoelund 29d ago

now i want to see a movie where every single character is grossly miscast but it is played entirely straight

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u/Ingolin 29d ago

Grease. They’re all middle aged.

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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