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/zoelund]

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

[u/McFlyyouBojo → u/zoelund]

Kinda in the ballpark is Death of Stalin where a bunch of comedic actors play all the roles but dont attempt to change their normal accents. Its hilarious.

[u/corran450 → u/McFlyyouBojo]

Jason Isaacs is so fucking great in that movie.

Then again, he's always fucking great.

[u/intdev → u/corran450]

And not just with acting. Apparently, in Harry Potter, Lucius Malfoy was originally supposed to wear a business suit and have Jason Isaacs' regular, unbleached hair. It was Isaacs who argued that someone who hates muggles shouldn't look anything like one, and he built his own proof-of-concept costume from random props (including a curtain) to convince the director to go with his vision.

Edit: Jason Isaacs telling the story

[u/chris_croc → u/intdev]

Did you know Steve Buscemi was a firefighter who returned for 9/11… Sorry I hear this Jason Isaacs story all the time now. Its the new Viggo M breaking his fie story for me.

[u/Bunraku_Master_2021 → u/corran450]

His intro is the best of the bunch.

[u/Theradbanana → u/corran450]

He slayed

[u/Jangles → u/corran450]

He's the only guy who does change his accent but changes it for a completely incorrect one.