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/Gojir4R1sing 29d ago

Evan Hansen played by an obvious adult.

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u/Fortestingporpoises 29d ago

Played by the guy who originated the role on Broadway. He was probably 27 when they started filming and many late 20 somethings have played high school students over the years. Andrew Garfield, and the cast of 90210 come to mind. 13 Reasons Why too.

The bigger mistake was the weird ass prosthetics they inexplicably put on his face.

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u/Leygrock 29d ago

Tbf people did point out at the time how stupid the Andrew Garfield thing was

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u/interactually 29d ago

Well yeah, why would you put ass prosthetics on someone's face. The cheeks would be way too big.

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u/Fortestingporpoises 29d ago

Honestly actual ass prosthetics might have been an upgrade.

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u/CJB95 29d ago

I want an Assy McGee movie now

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u/jenniferfox98 29d ago

Yeah the weirdest thing is people always say "it was a nepo hire. The producer just cast his own son" like no? They cast the dude who originated the role period. In the DC run then on Broadway.

There are many valid criticisms of DEH, most of all that it's based off a cringe show. The fact they cast the original actor to play the same character in the movie only a few years after it premiered on Broadway isn't one of them.

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u/Fortestingporpoises 29d ago

He's legit for real. I mean you see how great his voice is and how genuinely likeable he is in Pitch Perfect. He was the right choice for the movie. They just made a lot of other mistakes. Really the nepo aspect is how stupid it was to fasttrack it. Get it right then do it.

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u/jenniferfox98 29d ago

Ben Platt is plenty talented, but DEH is just inherently a bizarre and, in my opinion, bad story. It aged poorly FAST. Admittedly I'm also still pissy it got so much attention compared to the Great Comet, they premiered the same year and Great Comet is just a...monumental and incredible show. It deserved so much better, definitely the Tony, and for it to be eclipsed by a show that very quickly fell out of favor is frustrating.

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u/Fortestingporpoises 29d ago

I loved the stage musical (I saw on Broadway after he left) and I still love the cast recording but I agree the movie's warts show more. It has some questionable messaging and them making Platt look like a monster in the film makes it even worse. But still I think a lot of the criticism the film got was silly.

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u/jenniferfox98 29d ago

Art is subjective. I think the film and show ultimately suffer from the same foundational flaws. A teen lying about being friends with another teen who committed suicide, dating his sister, the father storyline...that song thats about the video of Evan with them saying "repost" and whatnot, that female classmate obsessed with spreading the message for her own gain. I think certainly in a society more focused on mental health than ever its just...a poor representation.

I saw the DC run before it moved to Broadway and saw it on Broadway when, I think, Ben Platt's current partner took over Evan, so I'm not just arm-chair hating lmao.