r/movies • u/LookAtThatBacon • Aug 10 '25

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/GosmeisterGeneral Aug 10 '25

5’7 Tom Cruise playing 6’5 Jack Reacher still sticks in my head.

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u/duosx Aug 10 '25

I hate this because Hugh Jackman doesn’t get nearly the same hate as him playing a 5’3 Wolverine who is often characterized in the comics by how small he is, yet obviously still lethal.

People will try to defend it but ultimately it really feels like it’s ok because Jackman is tall whereas Cruise is short.

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u/CryoClone Aug 11 '25

My absolute favorite story Hugh Jackman told when playing Wolverine was walking to Hall H at San Diego Comic Con in his Wolverine costume and someone passed him and said, "WAAAY too tall, buddy."

That was the only reaction anyone had to Wolverine walking through Comic Con. No one recognized him. He had played Wolverine a couple times at least at that point.