7 iconic TV roles almost played by other actors
Could you imagine anyone other than James Gandolfini playing Tony Soprano on The Sopranos? How about someone other than Adam West as Batman in the iconic 1960s show? Well, these are just two of the legendary roles that very nearly went to someone else. Join us as we find out which actors could have been the faces of our favourite shows.
1. The Sopranos – James Gandolfini playing Tony Soprano was a huge contributor to the success of the show, but HBO producers were hesitant to go with such a little-known actor. They wanted Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), but ultimately, the show’s creator David Chase had the final say.
2. Batman – This campy 1960s classic shot Adam West and Burt Ward to fame, but the duo was up against some stiff competition. Lyle Waggoner (The Carol Burnett Show) and Peter R. J. Deyell recorded screen tests, but couldn’t quite match the talent of West and Ward.
3. Monk – Michael Richards, who famously played Kramer on Seinfeld, heard about the plans for crime comedy-drama Monk and was very interested in the lead role. However, he passed after reading the script, thinking it wasn’t funny enough. Tony Shalhoub, who secured the role, went on to win three Emmy awards.
4. Breaking Bad – It’s hard to picture anyone other than the brilliant Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad, but 1980s teen idols John Cusack and Matthew Broderick were both in the running for the role.
5. Grey’s Anatomy – We don’t think anyone but Patrick Dempsey could’ve played “McDreamy”, but if there was anyone else up for the job, it would have to be Rob Lowe. It was great timing for Dempsey, who had been having trouble finding work and was thinking about quitting acting altogether.
6. Baywatch – David Hasselhoff is synonymous with this 90s seaside drama, but the show could have looked very different indeed – the role of Mitch Buchannon almost went to Tom Selleck! He turned it down because he didn’t want to be seen as sex symbol… but that happened anyway.
7. Lost – Before Matthew Fox crashed onto the island in Lost as Dr Jack Shepherd, there was another actor who could’ve taken his place, and it’s someone we never would have guessed – Michael Keaton. The character of Jack was supposed to be killed off after the first episode, but when he learned the character would remain, he turned it down. “An hour show every week?” he told Access Hollywood. “I’ve got stuff to do, I’ve got a life to lead. When would I fish?”
Tell us in the comments below, would you like to have seen these characters played by anyone else?