- 2 months ago
Pull back the curtain on Hollywood casting to explore the hits, the misses and the auditions that changed careers. We’re spotlighting flawless casting choices that feel inevitable, infamous miscasts, bizarre selections that somehow worked, tiny auditions that turned into breakout roles, and the unforgettable moments when actors nailed their chance and won the part. Which casting story is your favorite?
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00:00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're pulling back the curtain on the world of film casting.
00:00:08The hits, the misses, the auditions that became iconic, and we're starting with film casting choices that were so flawless, it's impossible to imagine anyone else in the part.
00:00:20Let's work with you here.
00:00:23Ooh, I like it, muy macho.
00:00:26Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most accurate casting based on appearance, personality, and or acting abilities.
00:00:47Number 10. Margot Robbie
00:00:49Surprisingly to some, Margot Robbie was not the original choice to play Barbie.
00:00:55She later took on the role and made it her own.
00:00:58Her look might be one part of the decision, but Robbie also gives the character some dynamic emotions.
00:01:03That felt...
00:01:05A-keep...
00:01:07Good.
00:01:08The titular role doesn't just pose or have fun.
00:01:10With the actress at the top of her game, she turns the doll from a cliche into a more well-rounded concept.
00:01:16No, no, no. You're describing something stereotypical. Barbie is so much more than that.
00:01:22The star makes Barbie much more existential, with plenty of room for black comedy and life lessons.
00:01:28Do you guys ever think about dying?
00:01:31She was also responsible for producing the movie and contributing to its box office success.
00:01:36On multiple levels, she was the right person to bring this Mattel product to life.
00:01:41Oh, and we have a female president, and it's fun and work and friendship and female 24-7.
00:01:45Number 9. Matthew Lillard, The Scooby-Doo Franchise
00:01:48As an underrated artist, Matthew Lillard makes the most of his many iconic parts.
00:02:00His turn as Shaggy more than does the cartoon justice.
00:02:03I don't feel so good.
00:02:05Reminds me of the time we tried to eat the guy in the hot dog costume.
00:02:09His entire voice, wardrobe, and hair all help to tell a story.
00:02:13Not only that, he's amazing at acting to a dog that isn't even there.
00:02:18And there's nobody I'd rather gorge myself with than you, Scooby-Doo.
00:02:23My best friend.
00:02:25You're my best friend, buddy.
00:02:26You probably believe the early 2000s animation because of Lillard's work.
00:02:31Casey Kasem might have played the original version, but this actor brought a believable adaptation to the screen.
00:02:37He's just as goofy, lovable, and friendly as you'd want the real-life guy to be.
00:02:41Part of that works because of the performer's chameleon-like acting, giving audiences the right rendition for a new generation.
00:02:47Are you guys okay?
00:02:49Sure.
00:02:50As long as you define okay as in massive agony.
00:02:55Number 8. Harrison Ford, the Indiana Jones franchise.
00:02:59And the undisturbed chamber and the grave goods that were found in another, in the area, give us a reason to date this find as we have.
00:03:13With all of his great roles, Harrison Ford is always Indiana Jones in our hearts.
00:03:19Only Han Solo can compete with this kind of classic part.
00:03:22It might be the one that best exemplifies his star power.
00:03:25He brings a ruggedness and a swagger to this archaeologist.
00:03:37That's not all, though, because the character is also funny and human.
00:03:41You believe the performance even more as the hero gets beat up and doesn't win every time.
00:03:47Ford also sells the fear of snakes well, showing that weaknesses can make somebody more interesting.
00:03:52You don't even question the fact that he's wearing that hat or using a bullwhip.
00:03:56Even in his older years, the power of his initial casting remains.
00:04:00You need me, and you know it.
00:04:04Number 7. Christina Ricci, the Addams Family Franchise.
00:04:07Well, I'll tell you what. I'll buy a cup if you buy a box of my delicious Girl Scout cookies.
00:04:14Do we have a deal?
00:04:15Are they made from real Girl Scouts?
00:04:17It's a performance that might not have been appreciated enough during its time.
00:04:22Christina Ricci played Wednesday with a perfect deadpan, never winking in a darkly humorous role.
00:04:28Not many child actors can be that good, and so early in their career.
00:04:32If I must strike you dead, I will!
00:04:42Ricci had only started acting in movies in 1990, but she was talented enough to play every nuance.
00:04:49The sequel, Addams Family Values, gave her even more opportunities to stand out with the camp sequence.
00:04:54We cannot break bread with you.
00:04:57Huh? Becky, what's going on?
00:04:59Wednesday!
00:05:01You have taken the land which is rightfully ours.
00:05:04Her far-reaching influence here extended to the Netflix series focusing on the same character.
00:05:09Without this actress' work in the original movies, you could argue that Jenna Ortega's version wouldn't have happened.
00:05:15Children, what are you doing?
00:05:17I'm going to electrocute him.
00:05:19But we're late for the charity auction.
00:05:21But mother...
00:05:21Number 6. Alan Rickman, The Harry Potter Franchise
00:05:25Were you insolent little professor?
00:05:29He lit up the screen in Die Hard, but some might say that Alan Rickman became more iconic for Severus Snape.
00:05:36Hans Gruber was a straight-up villain, while Snape was something much more unexpected.
00:05:40Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it, Mr. Potter?
00:05:47This speaks to Rickman's subdued and dry sensibilities.
00:05:49While he honed his craft on the stage, he made this character sing with its theatricality.
00:05:55Any person found to have knowledge of these events, who fails to come forward, will be treated as equally guilty.
00:06:13The same could be said for other cast members like Imelda Staunton.
00:06:16With his blunt assessments and sinister undertones, the potions expert jumped off the page with this actor's help.
00:06:22He knew exactly how to play both the subtle humor and darkness within each line.
00:06:27By the end of the franchise, the performer proved he was one of the most essential parts of it.
00:06:43Number 5. Robert Downey Jr. The Marvel Cinematic Universe
00:06:47The truth is, I am Iron Man.
00:06:57In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Robert Downey Jr. was in and out of various legal troubles.
00:07:04He then spent some years rehabilitating himself until Iron Man changed everything.
00:07:08I don't have to do anything. I've been in captivity for three months.
00:07:12There are two things I want to do. I want an American cheeseburger.
00:07:16And the other is not what you think. I want you to call for a press conference now.
00:07:19As Tony Stark, he found a perfect way to mix his charm and sense of humor.
00:07:23He became a fan favorite in one of the most successful franchises ever.
00:07:28With all of the competing personalities in the MCU,
00:07:31Downey Jr. still rises above as one of the most entertaining.
00:07:34Because I haven't come across anyone who's man enough to go toe-to-toe with me on my best day!
00:07:40He offers up his sarcastic point of view right up until he tugs at your heartstrings.
00:07:44Reminding everyone of his movie star attributes,
00:07:47The performer makes you laugh, cry, and believe he's a millionaire playboy.
00:07:52Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing.
00:07:54Number 4. Johnny Depp. The Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise
00:07:58Can you sail under the command of a pirate?
00:08:01Whatever you think of him now, Johnny Depp ended up being the definitive casting choice for Pirates of the Caribbean.
00:08:07He's known for disappearing into makeup, costumes, and whimsical personalities.
00:08:11The role of Captain Jack Sparrow checks all three boxes,
00:08:14But it also leaves room for more entertaining choices.
00:08:17Depp's performance combines his wild screen personas with a hint of rock star energy.
00:08:23Shall we just call it Square then?
00:08:27With his connections to music, he channeled the likes of Keith Richards for this role.
00:08:32There's also a goofiness to many of his scenes that seem to free him from any constraints.
00:08:37Over the course of several sequels, the actor managed to make even the most absurd plots more enjoyable.
00:08:43So, yes, we could hold up here, well-provisioned and well-armed, and half of us would be dead within the month.
00:08:48Which seems quite grim to me, any way you slice it.
00:08:51Number 3. Reese Witherspoon. Legally Blonde.
00:08:54Oh my gosh, you guys are so sweet!
00:08:58After films like Election, Reese Witherspoon became a rising star in the early 2000s.
00:09:03Her work in Legally Blonde heavily contributed to A-list status.
00:09:07Witherspoon's bubbly performance as Elle might be her most iconic, turning the color pink into a human being.
00:09:13The character is much more than a stereotype, too.
00:09:16I like your outfit, too, except when I dress up as a frigid b***h.
00:09:19I try not to look so constipated.
00:09:21Witherspoon capitalizes on this every-woman persona, playing with preconceived notions about sorority girls and blonde cliches.
00:09:28I go here.
00:09:29You go where?
00:09:31Harvard.
00:09:32Law school.
00:09:34You got into Harvard Law?
00:09:37What, like it's hard?
00:09:38The film lets the actress be funny, smart, and full of surprises.
00:09:42You could argue that many of her best roles use these same ingredients, but few are as perfect as this one.
00:09:49Congratulations, class of 2004.
00:09:52We did it!
00:09:55Number 2. Robin Williams. Aladdin.
00:09:58It's nearly impossible to imagine anyone else in this role.
00:10:0210,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!
00:10:07Robin Williams is the only performer that can match the energy of an animated character.
00:10:12In some cases, the filmmakers even let the icon alter Jeannie with his own improvisation.
00:10:17As I'm a column A, try all of column B.
00:10:22I'm in the mood to help you, dude.
00:10:24You ain't never had a friend like me.
00:10:26He brought out his own quick comedic persona in this effort.
00:10:29This includes all kinds of impressions, voices, and wild non-sequiturs.
00:10:34Jeannie, I need help!
00:10:35All right, Sparky, here's the deal.
00:10:38If you want to court the little lady, you gotta be a straight shooter, do you got it?
00:10:42It's so well-tuned to Williams and his comic personality, giving him plenty of opportunities
00:10:47to make it his own.
00:10:48The artist could also turn on the more dramatic faucet when he needed it.
00:10:52I can't wish you free.
00:10:55Fine, I understand.
00:10:57After all, you've lied to everyone else.
00:10:58Hey, I was beginning to feel left out.
00:11:01This whirlwind performance cannot be contained within a few sentences, but it certainly jumps
00:11:05off the screen just like the actor does.
00:11:08Wish for something outrageous.
00:11:09Say, I want denial.
00:11:10Wish for denial.
00:11:11Try that.
00:11:11Uh, I wish for denial.
00:11:13No way!
00:11:15Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
00:11:19Anthony Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs.
00:11:22Among the more sinister roles ever went to a highly trained thespian with serious skills.
00:11:27I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner.
00:11:35Bye.
00:11:36I'll do that.
00:11:37In an Oscar-winning performance, Malick transforms into the famed frontman.
00:11:58Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln.
00:12:08One of the great method actors finds a way to embody the American president.
00:12:12See, we've shown that if people can endure awful sacrifice and yet cohere,
00:12:18mightn't that save at least the idea of democracy to aspire to?
00:12:22Jamie Foxx, Ray.
00:12:23The actor shows that he can mimic the very essence of Ray Charles.
00:12:27Got the women all over town, but listen, buddy, if you ever sweet-talk my little girl,
00:12:34I'm gonna lay your body down.
00:12:37Number 1.
00:12:37Ian McKellen, The Lord of the Rings franchise.
00:12:40If you're referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved.
00:12:46All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door.
00:12:49It's hard to pick one actor to represent the series, but you can't do much better than Ian McKellen.
00:12:55His work as Gandalf provides the wise foundation for the franchise.
00:12:58He's been following us for three days.
00:13:01He escaped the dungeons of Barad-dûr.
00:13:04Escaped?
00:13:06Or was set loose?
00:13:07He feels right at home with other amazing actors, while someone like Viggo Mortensen is another standout.
00:13:13McKellen brings a gravitas to every scene, and elevates his scene partners with every line reading.
00:13:19You shall not pass!
00:13:25His British accent gives him an additional leg up, while his age and costume fit him well.
00:13:31Not to mention, the performer can play the older character in a believable way that's not just a fantasy caricature.
00:13:36The magical hero also fits perfectly into the man's eclectic career of powerful parts.
00:13:42End?
00:13:44No, the journey doesn't end here.
00:13:49Death is just another path.
00:13:53One that we all must take.
00:13:54Did we forget another casting decision that was completely accurate?
00:13:58You and me are so different, Charles.
00:14:00We're different talents.
00:14:01I know.
00:14:02Just for fun?
00:14:03How would the great Donald end the script?
00:14:04Shut up.
00:14:08As we're about to see, not every casting choice is a Hollywood home run.
00:14:13In fact, many are infamous for missing the mark in the biggest way possible.
00:14:19Spirits of heaven!
00:14:21Yes, a guy my father, do not desert me in this fateful hour!
00:14:24Welcome to Miss Mojo!
00:14:26And today, we're counting down our picks for the roles that were severely miscast,
00:14:30sometimes even when the right choice for the role was obvious.
00:14:32You know, I really don't remember you being this opinionated.
00:14:40Number 10.
00:14:41Jared Leto, Suicide Squad
00:14:43We finally meet.
00:14:45Nah, he don't shake hands.
00:14:47Let's sit down and have a drink.
00:14:49For months, it seemed like any actor in Hollywood was up for the role of yet another edgy, deeply unhinged Joker in the DC Extended Universe.
00:14:59Ryan Gosling was an early choice, but unfortunately, he reportedly declined due to the multi-film commitment the role would require.
00:15:06Once Jared Leto was chosen, the endless media cycle about how wild and uninhibited his take on the Joker would be,
00:15:13along with his bizarre method acting gimmicks, didn't bode well.
00:15:17Karen, his laugh really bothered you.
00:15:20Yeah, well, whenever I met Jared, he never broke characters, so I would say,
00:15:24Hi, I'm Karen Fukuhara, nice to meet you, I'm Katana, and then he would come at me with,
00:15:29Hi, pretty.
00:15:33The performance is weird and explosive without any of the substance brought by performers before him.
00:15:38Ultimately, potential fans were turned off by Leto's self-important approach to what turned out to be a brief stint.
00:15:44I've got some grape soda on ice and a bare-skinned rug waiting.
00:15:48Yeah?
00:15:49Coach, we got a problem!
00:15:51Huh?
00:15:52Number 9. Jesse Eisenberg
00:15:54Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice
00:15:57They need to see the fraud you are.
00:16:01With their eyes.
00:16:03The blood on your hands.
00:16:06What have you done?
00:16:07Lex Luthor works best when he's played by actors like Gene Hackman because he is cool under pressure and secure in his power.
00:16:14It's what makes him dangerous.
00:16:16In Batman v Superman, the characterization of Superman's arch-nemesis is informed by the character's traumatic past.
00:16:23Unfortunately, this weirdly serious approach sees Jesse Eisenberg playing up the character's villainy through frantic, pressured speech, bizarre inflections, and childlike playfulness.
00:16:34All he does, though, is recall better performances.
00:16:36If you kill me, Martha dies.
00:16:38And if you fly away, Martha also dies.
00:16:40But if you kill the bat, Martha lives.
00:16:44More than one critic unfavorably compared Eisenberg to Heath Ledger's Joker.
00:16:49Eisenberg is a really good actor, but he's much more suited to characters in naturalistic settings than he is to the exaggerated worlds of superhero movies.
00:16:57Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding.
00:17:05Number 8.
00:17:07Tom Holland.
00:17:08Uncharted.
00:17:09I shouldnae come out to play with a big boy's ween because you're about to get a proper Scottish welcome.
00:17:16I'm sorry.
00:17:17Development on this video game adaptation took over a decade.
00:17:21Castle actor Nathan Fillion lobbied for the starring role.
00:17:25Many fans of the game thought he would make the perfect Nathan Drake.
00:17:28When the movie finally made it to the theaters in 2022,
00:17:32Tom Holland played an aged-down version of Drake.
00:17:35We're looking for a tree.
00:17:40Really?
00:17:41Yeah.
00:17:41Wow, that's your expert analysis?
00:17:43Well, you just gave me the book like an hour ago.
00:17:46What am I supposed to do?
00:17:47Fans were disheartened by the performance.
00:17:49Holland is talented and charismatic,
00:17:52but his youthfulness and innocence just don't square with the mercenary character.
00:17:56Fans were even less impressed with Mark Wahlberg's casting as his mentor Sully.
00:18:00Fillion's enthusiasm, maturity, and ability to play complex heroes should have made him a shoe-in.
00:18:06If I ever kill you, you'll be awake.
00:18:09You'll be facing me, and you'll be armed.
00:18:13Are you always this sentimental?
00:18:14I had a good day.
00:18:18Number 7.
00:18:19Zoe Saldana, Nina.
00:18:22You're different.
00:18:23You're just different.
00:18:25I'm not different.
00:18:27Yes, you are.
00:18:27I'm not different!
00:18:29You think I'm different?
00:18:30Do I look different to you?
00:18:32I am me!
00:18:33Portraying the complex, volatile, and singular Nina Simone was always going to require a performer with an exceptional gift.
00:18:41Replacing Mary J. Blige, Zoe Saldana's casting raised some red flags immediately.
00:18:47Simone's own daughter questioned the casting of a woman who looked nothing like her mother.
00:18:52A woman whose physical features were a significant part of her identity.
00:18:56I'm going to keep my chin up.
00:18:58Because that's who I am.
00:19:00And that's who I'll be.
00:19:02And Nina was like that too.
00:19:03So, I did it all out of love.
00:19:06Saldana had to use controversial skin-darkening techniques to achieve the look, which is uncanny at best.
00:19:13Saldana, who identifies as Afro-Latina, later admitted regretting her role in the film.
00:19:18The movie's 2% rating on Rotten Tomatoes says it all.
00:19:22Give me the money.
00:19:23Jesus Christ, Nina!
00:19:25Tell them to give me my money.
00:19:26Tell him to give me my money!
00:19:29Number 6.
00:19:30Tom Cruise, Jack Reacher.
00:19:32You think I'm a hero?
00:19:34I am not a hero.
00:19:36I'm a drifter with nothing to lose.
00:19:38In the novels by Lee Child, the ex-army specialist is over six feet and burly.
00:19:43Tom Cruise is many things.
00:19:45Over six feet and burly?
00:19:46He is not.
00:19:48Despite his success with the Mission Impossible series, Cruise's star persona wasn't enough to bring the character to life.
00:19:54Author Child defended Cruise's casting at the time.
00:19:57He later sided with fans saying Jack Reacher's size is an essential component of the character.
00:20:02that shouldn't have been compromised.
00:20:04A huge, physically intimidating man.
00:20:07And the readers felt that Tom was not really communicating that.
00:20:12And so, like I say, my loyalty has to be, even though I love Tom as an actor and as a person,
00:20:18my loyalty ultimately has to be with the reader.
00:20:21Amazon Prime's TV adaptation of the novels found its Jack Reacher and Alan Richson,
00:20:26who is a much better physical match.
00:20:28I got it.
00:20:29You guys recycle.
00:20:41Number 5.
00:20:43Sofia Coppola, The Godfather Part 3.
00:20:47Who's your father?
00:20:48I'll give you a hint.
00:20:51He's Italian.
00:20:52While making this long-awaited follow-up to his two masterpieces, director Francis Ford Coppola was in a bind.
00:21:00His original, better choice for the role of Al Pacino's doomed daughter, Winona Ryder, has to drop out.
00:21:06With little time to secure another performer, he cast his own daughter.
00:21:10What is this really for?
00:21:13Why are you doing this?
00:21:15Why am I doing this?
00:21:17Sofia Coppola's simplistic and somewhat dreamy performance immediately became a target for derision.
00:21:22Though she's a genius in her own right behind the camera, it's clear she was never meant to be a movie star.
00:21:29She and her father were lambasted for her casting.
00:21:32Whether it was sheer nepotism or a misguided attempt to solve a last-minute problem,
00:21:37it's pretty safe to assume Ryder would have turned in a better, more complex performance.
00:21:42Who understands anybody, really?
00:21:44Who wants to?
00:21:46It's hard enough trying to understand yourself, you know.
00:21:52We just don't fit.
00:21:54Number 4. Gal Gadot, Snow White
00:21:57I'm sure you think you got this licked, Your Majesty, but trust me, you'd know what you're up against.
00:22:03The person to blame for the failure of the live-action Disney remake changes depending on who you ask.
00:22:08But only Gal Gadot and her acting skills have become a literal meme unto themselves.
00:22:13Her stilted and lifeless line readings in movies like Death on the Nile routinely make waves on social media.
00:22:20But as the evil queen, she seems particularly at sea.
00:22:24Are you against me too?
00:22:27Are you?
00:22:28Yes or no?
00:22:30This is a role any actress should want to sink her teeth into.
00:22:33Charlize Theron played a version of her to great effect in 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman.
00:22:39Gadot's vacant performance doesn't convey villainy, power, or any sense of dramatic skill.
00:22:44If you let me down, down, down, down, down, in the dungeon you stay.
00:22:49Number 3.
00:22:51Keanu Reeves
00:22:52Bram Stoker's Dracula
00:22:53This is a great opportunity for you, Harker.
00:22:57But you'll have to leave Transylvania immediately.
00:23:01Opportunities such as this come but once in a lifetime.
00:23:04Yes, of course, sir.
00:23:06If only he weren't such a great guy.
00:23:08Director Francis Ford Coppola said he refrained from giving Keanu Reeves criticism on set because he liked him too much.
00:23:15Unfortunately, he's just too contemporary for any story that takes place before the 20th century.
00:23:22In Bram Stoker's Dracula, he plays real estate agent Jonathan Harker,
00:23:27the Englishman who ends up a prisoner in the Transylvania Count's castle.
00:23:31I think strange things which I dare not confess to my own soul.
00:23:35The Count.
00:23:37The way he looked at Mina's picture fills me with dread.
00:23:41As if I have a part to play in a story that is not known to me.
00:23:44His British accent is flimsy and his modern speech patterns constantly feel like an anachronism.
00:23:50Coppola cast him because he was a matinee idol.
00:23:53But another handsome leading man like River Phoenix or even Johnny Depp might have been a better choice here.
00:23:59Are you questioning my decision?
00:24:01No, sir. Simply want to know why.
00:24:032. Ben Platt
00:24:05Dear Evan Hansen
00:24:06He won rave reviews and a Tony Award for originating the role of troubled teen Evan Hansen on Broadway.
00:24:21But Ben Platt never should have reprised his role on screen.
00:24:24With close-ups and the curious decision to give the character a hairdo that aged him up further,
00:24:29it was apparent the 27-year-old was miscast in the role that once made him a star.
00:24:34It also didn't escape the notice of fans that his father, Mark Platt, served as a producer on the film.
00:24:40There wasn't really any question on anyone actually connected to the piece or who was actually a part of the film.
00:24:46There was never any kind of discussion that it wouldn't be me.
00:24:48Several other actors have played the role on stage since Platt vacated the role.
00:24:53One of them, Andrew Barth Feldman, has even gone on to have a successful film career of his own.
00:24:58He would have made a more convincing high schooler.
00:25:00And when you're broken on the ground, you will be found.
00:25:06Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
00:25:10Cameron Diaz, Gangs of New York.
00:25:13She's a great actress, but she's out of place in turn-of-the-century New York.
00:25:17You look stunned and poorly, sir.
00:25:24Quite a pair of conversationists, aren't you?
00:25:26Russell Crowe, Les Miserables.
00:25:29He's not exactly a music man.
00:25:31And must I now begin to doubt?
00:25:36Who never doubted all these years?
00:25:40Emma Watson, Beauty and the Beast.
00:25:42With this much alleged auto-tuning, it would have been better to cast a singer in the role.
00:25:47And for once it might be grand to have someone understand.
00:25:56John Wayne, The Conqueror.
00:25:59The Western star is dismal and bizarre as the Mongolian warlord, Genghis Khan.
00:26:03There are moments for wisdom, Jamuga, then I listen to you.
00:26:07And there are moments for action, then I listen to my blood.
00:26:09Ezra Miller, DC Extended Universe.
00:26:13Fans wanted Grant Gustin to reprise his TV role after Miller's various controversies.
00:26:18I can't believe you have a superhero who time travels, though.
00:26:22No, no, no, no.
00:26:22You are not anything.
00:26:24Number 1.
00:26:26Scarlett Johansson, Ghost in the Shell.
00:26:28Everyone around me seems to fit.
00:26:31They seem connected to something.
00:26:33Something I'm not.
00:26:36Adapted from the manga, this cyberpunk action thriller could have spawned a whole new franchise.
00:26:42Scarlett Johansson was probably cast due to her bankability, but the makers failed to consider
00:26:47one big problem.
00:26:49Her character is a Japanese icon, leading to accusations of whitewashing.
00:26:53This drew outrage from many who felt that a Japanese actor should have been hired instead.
00:26:59What's your name?
00:27:01Muramaki told me you had a name from before.
00:27:08Oh, Tokai.
00:27:09This was a fumble on every front.
00:27:12It's hard to imagine the creatives behind the film didn't see this coming.
00:27:15And the film's ending twist did more to hurt them than help quell any lingering resentments
00:27:20about her casting.
00:27:21You're disappointed.
00:27:23No, I'm worried.
00:27:29You're not invulnerable.
00:27:31What's a role that you'd recast if you could?
00:27:34Do I love the actress who's playing her?
00:27:36I love that actress.
00:27:37Is this necessarily the role that I would have chosen?
00:27:41No.
00:27:42Okay, we're now going to take a look at casting choices that once seemed bizarre on paper, but
00:27:50quickly became strokes of genius once the camera started rolling.
00:27:55Oh, hello.
00:27:58Wow.
00:27:59Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:28:01And today we're counting down our picks for the actors who were cast completely against
00:28:06type and turned out to be perfect for the role.
00:28:08I find her hard to talk to.
00:28:10Me too.
00:28:11She thinks I'm dumb.
00:28:13Me too.
00:28:13Number 10.
00:28:15Adam Sandler, Punch Drunk Love.
00:28:17Up until writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson cast him as a bachelor with an anger problem,
00:28:21Adam Sandler was famous for playing an extremely angry character for laughs.
00:28:25No, no, no, no, no.
00:28:30Anderson actually realized the actor was right for the role while watching him in the Saturday
00:28:33Night Live sketch, The Denise Show.
00:28:35What did I do wrong, Denise?
00:28:37Just tell me and I'll stop doing it.
00:28:39Hello, Brian.
00:28:39This is your father.
00:28:41What?
00:28:41What the hell's wrong with you?
00:28:43You're embarrassing the family!
00:28:44But the way Sandler's persona was used in the movie is completely different than anything
00:28:48he had done before.
00:28:49I have a love in my life.
00:28:51It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine.
00:28:57I would say that's that, Mattress Man.
00:29:00Sandler and the film itself were cited in several year-end awards and top ten lists.
00:29:05Since then, its star has gone on to balance his broad comedic work with dramatic turns in movies like Uncut Gems.
00:29:10I know that. I was stupid. I'm done. I'm done. It means nothing. It meant nothing.
00:29:16Number 9. Bill Hader, Barry.
00:29:18Don't say anything, alright? Don't say anything. I'm just gonna lay low, man. Just be quiet.
00:29:23This HBO series is a dark comedy about a contract killer who develops a passion for acting.
00:29:28You are a real actor.
00:29:31I am?
00:29:32Yes.
00:29:32The entire show is a big swing as far as tonal balance is concerned.
00:29:36Barry's co-creator and star, Bill Hader, also played larger-than-life characters every week on Saturday Night Live.
00:29:42Still, crafting an uproarious caricature like Stefan probably doesn't make him the obvious choice to play a depressed and lethal assassin.
00:29:50The Chicago deal is still on the table.
00:29:53I got a guy out there. He's literally glued to the car.
00:29:57Ronnie?
00:29:59Cut to four seasons, two Emmys, and several nominations later,
00:30:03and Hader has turned in one of the most accomplished, unexpectedly funny, and complicated performances on TV.
00:30:09I basically, I went like this. I was like,
00:30:11Sally? You gotta help my friend.
00:30:13Like, I said it that loud.
00:30:16Sure.
00:30:16Number 8. Selena Gomez.
00:30:18Only murders in the building.
00:30:19And if we want to take down Demas before 7 a.m., first, is that what we're gonna do?
00:30:26A nod or a no, guys?
00:30:27Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:30:28Steve Martin and Martin Short are a classic duo.
00:30:31They've worked together quite a few times over the years, and they're also part of the same age cohort.
00:30:36That is my girlfriend you're talking about.
00:30:39We had sex. I don't know if I said that.
00:30:40Please stop talking.
00:30:41What threw people for a loop was the additional casting of pop idol and ex-Disney star Selena Gomez.
00:30:46Playing the true-crime-obsessed Mabel Mora, Gomez plays surprisingly well against the two veteran actors.
00:30:53She injects some millennial irony to balance their boomer humor.
00:30:56Since then, she's earned Golden Globe and Emmy nods for her work.
00:31:00Hey!
00:31:00Hey!
00:31:01Can I come with you to the funeral?
00:31:02Yeah!
00:31:03Please, God, yes, we need you.
00:31:05Number 7. Steve Carell.
00:31:07Foxcatcher.
00:31:08I don't want you to call me Mr. DuPont or sir anymore.
00:31:10I consider us friends.
00:31:13And most of my friends will call me Eagle or Golden Eagle.
00:31:19Based on the real-life murder of Olympic wrestler David Schultz,
00:31:22this 2014 drama didn't just require its lead to undergo dramatic makeup effects.
00:31:27To play murderer and wrestling enthusiast John DuPont,
00:31:30Steve Carell had to do a total 180 from his comedy persona.
00:31:34I am giving them a dream.
00:31:37And I am giving America hope.
00:31:41Having just exited the office, Carell was at a crossroads in his career.
00:31:45With Foxcatcher, suddenly, he proved his chops not just as a dramatic actor.
00:31:50He could even play the villain if the role called for it.
00:31:53Carell was nominated for an Oscar for the performance,
00:31:56and it ushered in a new era of dramatic roles for the actor.
00:31:59Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!
00:32:03Number 6. Ariana Grande.
00:32:05Wicked.
00:32:06And it is my intention to major in sorcery.
00:32:10So if at some point you wanted to address the, um, problem,
00:32:17problem, perhaps I could help.
00:32:21She's so good. She's so good.
00:32:23We love you.
00:32:25We love you.
00:32:26We love you.
00:32:27We love you.
00:32:27We love you.
00:32:27Most musicals that get the Hollywood treatment do end up going with established screen stars
00:32:32over performers known for theater.
00:32:35But Broadway fans were probably more than skeptical when Ariana Grande was cast in the role
00:32:39originated by Kristen Chenoweth.
00:32:41As the standoffish magic student Galinda,
00:32:44Grande would have to tap into a higher vocal register than the one she generally uses in her music.
00:32:48But the acting is the real surprise.
00:32:51She plays the broad comic tones of the character to pitch perfect effect while still making her feel human.
00:32:56I've decided to make you my new project.
00:32:58Oh, you really don't have to do that.
00:33:00I know.
00:33:02That's what makes me so nice.
00:33:05Her deft handling of the role earned her several awards
00:33:08and helped make Wicked one of the top five highest grossing movies of 2024.
00:33:13Popular.
00:33:15I'll help you be popular.
00:33:18Number 5.
00:33:18Robin Williams.
00:33:20One hour photo.
00:33:21You have one shot left.
00:33:22Oh, that's okay.
00:33:23Oh, it's a shame to waste it.
00:33:24Oh, no, really, it's fine.
00:33:25Oh, no, please.
00:33:27I'm horrible.
00:33:27If you ask movie lovers who the funniest actor of all time was,
00:33:31many would probably say Robin Williams.
00:33:33The man's very existence was comedy.
00:33:35While his Oscar-winning role in Good Will Hunting was a dramatic stretch,
00:33:39it still relies on his natural warmth.
00:33:41That's not the case with the thriller One Hour Photo.
00:33:44The word snapshot was first used in 1808 by an English sportsman by the name of Sir Andrew Hawker.
00:33:50He noted in his diary that almost every bird he shot that day was taken by snapshot.
00:33:58In it, Williams plays Cy, a lonely photo counter employee who becomes dangerously obsessed with a family whose pictures he's printed.
00:34:05In 2002, he made another villainous turn in Christopher Nolan's Insomnia.
00:34:09But as Cy, his character is not simply evil.
00:34:13He's also sad.
00:34:14You would never treat your children like animals.
00:34:16Number 4.
00:34:17Kristen Stewart
00:34:18Spencer
00:34:18Keep your curtains closed.
00:34:20Close my curtains.
00:34:22Yes.
00:34:25Maybe.
00:34:27No.
00:34:28Despite doing tremendous work since her days as Bella Swan,
00:34:31this Twilight co-star is still having to live down some of her early performances.
00:34:35No matter how much Kristen Stewart has dazzled us since,
00:34:39few thought such a quintessentially American actress could do justice to a figure as quintessentially British as Princess Diana.
00:34:45Oh, Maggie, it's all just a bit of fun, isn't it?
00:34:47In Spencer, Stewart plays the doomed princess as she deals with a particularly torturous holiday with her royal in-laws.
00:34:54Stewart was lauded for the film, earning an Oscar nomination,
00:34:57with critics citing her performance as the linchpin keeping the irreverent haunting movie together.
00:35:02Okay, but you have to stay with me.
00:35:03Okay.
00:35:05You can't leave me.
00:35:09Number 3.
00:35:10Betty White
00:35:10The Golden Girls
00:35:11Listen, if there's ever a night where you can't sleep, I'll come to your room and sing Kumbaya.
00:35:16For many viewers, Rose Nyland was this TV legend's defining performance.
00:35:21But before landing her most famous role,
00:35:23Betty White's most recent credits were in series like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Mama's Family.
00:35:28Both of those characters were selfish man-eaters.
00:35:31So, when the Golden Girls came along, she was initially offered the part of Blanche Devereaux,
00:35:36the vain, man-hungry Southern belle.
00:35:38But White was much more interested in playing Rose Nyland, the sweet but dim-witted Midwesterner.
00:35:44Then we better hurry because the Strawberry Blizzard special at the Dairy Queen only lasts till five.
00:35:49Co-star Rue McClanahan was on the same page, wanting instead to play Blanche.
00:35:54The whole show came together once the two actresses traded roles.
00:35:57I am absolutely speechless, except for the one that I have prepared.
00:36:03Laughter from the audience.
00:36:07Number 2.
00:36:08Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
00:36:09I saw your setup. Ridiculous.
00:36:12You and I will not make garbage.
00:36:15We will produce a chemically pure and stable product that performs as advertised.
00:36:19For years, we knew him for his role as a father who would do anything for his family,
00:36:24even if it meant going behind his wife's back.
00:36:26Yes, of course, we're talking about Bryan Cranston's incredible work on Malcolm in the Middle.
00:36:37Before he became an absolute legend as anti-hero Walter White,
00:36:41Cranston was seen as just an inept but lovable sitcom dad.
00:36:44Then, two years later, he was cooking up something very, very different on AMC's Breaking Bad.
00:36:49There was an almost meta quality about watching a guy we thought was a decent and goofy father figure
00:36:54become this hardened criminal kingpin.
00:36:56You clearly don't know who you're talking to, so let me clue you in.
00:37:00I am not in danger, Skylar.
00:37:02I am the danger.
00:37:04Number one, Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight.
00:37:07I know why you choose to have your little group therapy sessions in broad daylight.
00:37:14I know why you're afraid to go out at night.
00:37:19The Batman.
00:37:21It's not easy to redefine a character and make an entire culture shift with one singular performance.
00:37:27Heath Ledger did just that with his unhinged, totally committed depiction of the Joker.
00:37:32You remind me of my father.
00:37:35I hated my father.
00:37:37Major stars had done superhero movies before,
00:37:40but this kind of psychologically complex supervillain was not the norm.
00:37:43Ledger's reputation as an actor was only growing.
00:37:46I'm gonna make this pencil disappear.
00:37:50Ta-da!
00:37:52It's...
00:37:52It's gone.
00:37:54The role of a Batman villain was not exactly what everyone thought his career trajectory would look like
00:38:00after making prestigious movies like Brokeback Mountain and I'm Not There.
00:38:03The stellar writing and his complete transformation
00:38:06made the role a perfect storm of dramatic skill and instantly iconic moments.
00:38:15What's a weird casting that surprised you?
00:38:17This is a good proposal, Mr. Nitty.
00:38:20I will work only for you and you know I can do a good job.
00:38:24In the world of Hollywood, even the smallest audition can lead to life-changing opportunities.
00:38:31Don't believe me?
00:38:32Well, check out these actors who went in auditioning for a minor role,
00:38:36but walked out with a major one.
00:38:39What?
00:38:40Well, if it ain't Tom Powers and Matt, too.
00:38:43How are you, boys?
00:38:44Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at actors from film and TV
00:38:48who auditioned for a smaller role than the one they ultimately got.
00:38:51There's just a lot you've simply got to know, so...
00:38:56Number 10, Eddie Redmayne, Harry Potter franchise.
00:39:00And it was...
00:39:00Do you remember that scene in La La Land?
00:39:02When, like, Emma Stone is, like, singing and the casting director was on the phone
00:39:06after about three and a half seconds?
00:39:07That was basically my experience.
00:39:08Really?
00:39:09So, yeah, I didn't even get about three lines out.
00:39:11Wow.
00:39:11Yeah.
00:39:12Well, thank goodness, because...
00:39:13Well, Jude and I played the long game.
00:39:15During Harry's second year at Hogwarts, he encounters Tom Riddle,
00:39:19who was revealed to be a young Voldemort.
00:39:21The role went to Christian Coulson,
00:39:23although a few names on the cusp of a breakthrough read for the part.
00:39:26Among them was Eddie Redmayne,
00:39:28who'd joined the Wizarding World 14 years later.
00:39:31First trip to New York?
00:39:32Yes.
00:39:34Anything edible in there?
00:39:36No.
00:39:39Livestock?
00:39:39Must get that fixed.
00:39:46Um, no.
00:39:48Now an Oscar winner,
00:39:49Redmayne took center stage as magizoologist Newt Scamander
00:39:53in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
00:39:56Tom Riddle obviously plays an integral role in this universe.
00:40:00Had Redmayne gotten a callback, though,
00:40:02his history with the franchise would have been limited to Chamber of Secrets.
00:40:05Losing that role allowed him to play Newt throughout three films.
00:40:10Plus, Redmayne is more believable as a lovable misfit than a future Dark Lord.
00:40:14Now there's absolutely nothing for you to worry about.
00:40:18Tell me, has anyone ever believed you if you told them not to worry?
00:40:21Well, my philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice.
00:40:24Number 9.
00:40:26Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana
00:40:27One might assume that Hannah Montana was conceived as a star vehicle for Miley Cyrus.
00:40:33After all, the main character's name is Miley Stewart.
00:40:36Although that wasn't always the case.
00:40:38I thought we told each other everything.
00:40:41But I guess I was wrong,
00:40:43since you kept just about the biggest secret in the world,
00:40:45Miley Stewart slash Hannah Montana!
00:40:47Initially, she was called Zoe and then Chloe Stewart.
00:40:51This isn't the part that Cyrus originally read for.
00:40:54Rather, she sent in a tape auditioning for Lily Trescott,
00:40:58the main character's best friend.
00:40:59You're not screaming!
00:41:01Why aren't you screaming?
00:41:03Oh, believe me.
00:41:04She's screaming on the inside.
00:41:06Upon seeing her tape,
00:41:08the Hannah Montana team felt Cyrus was better suited for the lead role.
00:41:12There was hesitance, as some argued Cyrus was too young.
00:41:15After several more auditions,
00:41:17Cyrus proved she had the singing chops and energy to carry the show.
00:41:21Chloe thus became Miley.
00:41:23And further paralleling Cyrus' real life,
00:41:25her father was cast as her on-screen dad.
00:41:28I tell you what, I hate wearing this thing.
00:41:31It's like kissing your great-aunt Clara.
00:41:34Number 8.
00:41:35James Baskett, Song of the South
00:41:38Answering an ad for this Disney film,
00:41:40James Baskett sought to voice an animated butterfly.
00:41:43Baskett not only got that part,
00:41:46but Walt Disney was so impressed
00:41:47that he was also cast as Uncle Remus and Brer Fox's voice.
00:41:51Well, brother rabbit, you sure looks like a sport.
00:41:54All stuck up in your swallowtail coat.
00:41:56Don't you look good in this cool?
00:41:57I ain't never seen nobody like that.
00:41:59Disney called Baskett, quote,
00:42:01the best actor to be discovered in years,
00:42:04paving the way for him to receive an honorary Oscar shortly before his death.
00:42:08The company has since banished the film to the briar patch
00:42:12due to its outdated cultural depictions.
00:42:14I was gonna whitewash the walls, too.
00:42:22But not now.
00:42:24While we can't say Uncle Remus was the most progressive character,
00:42:28Baskett did bring warmth and charisma to the role.
00:42:31One can only imagine the career Baskett might have had
00:42:34if only he lived during an era with a better understanding of the black experience.
00:42:467. Tom Hanks
00:42:48Splash
00:42:49While Tom Hanks had a few TV roles under his belt,
00:42:53Splash established him as a bankable leading man on the silver screen.
00:42:57Hanks brought his signature everyman charm to the role of Alan Bauer,
00:43:01helping to ground this mermaid romance.
00:43:03All my life, I've been waiting for someone,
00:43:06and when I find her, she's...
00:43:09she's a fish.
00:43:12Nobody said love's perfect.
00:43:13The film marked his first collaboration with director Ron Howard,
00:43:17who revealed that Hanks initially auditioned for Freddy, Alan's brother.
00:43:21That part went to the late, great John Candy.
00:43:24I gotta get more involved in the business, and I intend to.
00:43:26I mean that this time. I'm going to.
00:43:28I know the business.
00:43:30Although Hanks' only other film credit at that point was a supporting role in the slasher flick,
00:43:35He Knows You're Alone,
00:43:36Howard could tell this guy had so much to offer.
00:43:39His instincts were correct,
00:43:41providing an essential stepping stone in Hanks' journey from sitcom star to dramatic actor.
00:43:46All the time we were together, you always knew how I was feeling.
00:43:51Can't you tell now?
00:43:53Number 6.
00:43:54Lily James, Cinderella
00:43:55In true Cinderella story fashion,
00:43:58Lily James didn't expect to be the belle of the ball when Disney started auditions for this remake.
00:44:03At first, James tried out for Anastasia, one half of Cinderella's stepsisters.
00:44:08James was enthusiastic about playing a character who was more quirky and comical,
00:44:23without having to worry about being pretty.
00:44:25At her audition, the casting director suggested that James also read for Ella.
00:44:29Although it wasn't the part she prepared for, James said it just felt right.
00:44:33James went through months of screen tests,
00:44:41including one where director Kenneth Branagh stood in for The Prince before landing the lead.
00:44:46While it might have been fun to see James paired with her Downton Abbey co-star Sophie McShira as Drizella,
00:44:52the glass slipper fit.
00:44:54And you find that really comfortable.
00:44:56Number 5.
00:44:57Stephanie Beatriz, Encanto
00:44:59Before Encanto, Stephanie Beatriz was known for playing Detective Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
00:45:05Given Rosa's tough-as-nails persona,
00:45:07Beatriz might have seemed like an unusual choice for the offbeat meet-a-bell.
00:45:11Yet, anyone who meets Beatriz will quickly realize that she's nothing like Rosa in real life.
00:45:17Stephanie Beatriz changing her voice from her normal flowers and rainbow
00:45:20This was reflected in her Encanto audition, where she decided to sing You're Welcome from Moana.
00:45:33Beatriz was auditioning for Luisa, a character who shares Rosa's strong demeanor.
00:45:38The filmmakers realized right then and there, though, that Beatriz was a Mirabel at heart.
00:45:42Props to Steph, because she can not only sing her lungs out, but she just is so winning.
00:45:48Like, the instant you meet her, that's that heart and kind of vulnerability and humanness that Jared mentioned.
00:45:53It really was all part of who she is.
00:45:56It only took one more callback for Beatriz to officially get the part.
00:46:00Her audition would also be immortalized with Tony Smeed, the co-head of animation on Frozen 2, bringing it to life.
00:46:06Well, let me say, let me say, you're welcome, you're welcome.
00:46:12Number 4. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
00:46:17In a parallel universe, Cordelia Chase could have been the slayer.
00:46:22More specifically, Cordelia's actress Charisma Carpenter could have played Buffy Summers.
00:46:27That's the part Carpenter prepared for.
00:46:29You know, Little Miss likes to fight. So?
00:46:32I think there was a yay vote buried in there somewhere.
00:46:34Since she arrived at her audition behind schedule, Carpenter read for Cordelia, a role that had been offered to Sarah Michelle Gellar.
00:46:41Although Gellar was grateful to have a job, she was reluctant to accept another mean girl part, fearing being typecast.
00:46:49Because I'd just come off three years of playing this stereotypical bad girl character and I thought, well, if I do this now, is there ever, am I ever going to be able, you know, to do anything else?
00:46:58Cut to three years later when I'm begging for the role in Cruel Intentions and no one can see me as the bad girl.
00:47:02The creators conceded that Carpenter would be the ideal Cordelia, but they still needed to cast the show's lead.
00:47:09The producers had once asked Gellar to screen test for Buffy before asking her to audition for Cordelia instead.
00:47:15Carpenter's audition further encouraged them to re-evaluate Gellar as a candidate for Buffy.
00:47:20Eventually, the slayer was chosen.
00:47:23Thank you, thank you, thank you. And look, I won't go far, okay? If the apocalypse comes, beat me.
00:47:28Number 3. Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Terminator
00:47:31We'd surely look at The Terminator differently if James Cameron had gone with Orion's suggestion for the title role O.J. Simpson.
00:47:39Cameron just didn't buy Simpson as a killer.
00:47:42Then,
00:47:42You write about removing a glove before taking the knife from Charlie?
00:47:49You know, I had no conscious memory of doing that, but obviously I must have because they found a glove there.
00:47:56Orion also suggested Arnold Schwarzenegger.
00:47:58Not for the T-800, but Kyle Reese, the soldier sent back in time to save Sarah Connor.
00:48:04Cameron didn't see it.
00:48:06Feeling that casting Schwarzenegger as Reese would require somebody even more intimidating for The Terminator.
00:48:12The director met Schwarzenegger with no intention of hiring him.
00:48:15But then Schwarzenegger started suggesting how The Terminator should be portrayed.
00:48:19When he walks, he has to have a certain walk.
00:48:22When he scans and looks around, he has to have a certain scan.
00:48:25It has to be absolutely clear at all times that this is a machine with absolutely no human behavior.
00:48:32Cameron instantly knew he was being eyed for the wrong role.
00:48:35Schwarzenegger took issue with the character's limited dialogue.
00:48:39But he has a way of making even the simplest line stand out.
00:48:43I'll be back.
00:48:45Number 2.
00:48:48James Cagney, The Public Enemy
00:48:50Hello, Lloyd.
00:48:51Hi.
00:48:53Are you alone?
00:48:56I'm always alone when I'm with Matt.
00:48:57During the golden age of cinema, arguably no actor was more synonymous with the gangster genre than James Cagney.
00:49:04He previously appeared in the crime dramas Sinner's Holiday and The Doorway to Hell.
00:49:09Cagney landed another supporting role in The Public Enemy as Matt Doyle, the level-headed best friend of ill-tempered gangster Tom Powers, who was to be played by Edward Woods.
00:49:19After only a few days of shooting, director William Wellman felt the two actors should switch roles, telling Cagney, now you're the lead kid.
00:49:27Wellman reached out to Warner's production chief Daryl Zanuck, a big believer in making quick decisions.
00:49:34Zanuck signed off on swapping the actors and a star was born in Cagney.
00:49:39The Public Enemy would mark Cagney's big break, leading to many more leading roles.
00:49:44Looking back, it's surreal that they ever thought Cagney was better equipped to play the quiet guy rather than the tough guy.
00:49:50We ain't sore, are you, Tom? I've always been your friend.
00:49:54Sure. You taught us how to cheat, steal, and kill. And then you lambed out on us.
00:49:58Yeah, if it hadn't been for you, we might have been on the level.
00:50:01Sure. We might have been ding-dings on a streetcar. Come on.
00:50:06Number 1. Robert De Niro – The Godfather Trilogy
00:50:10People sometimes incorrectly say Robert De Niro was in The Godfather. He actually starred in its sequel.
00:50:17Don't make it all for you. Don't refuse. Don't worry.
00:50:21De Niro did audition for the first film, being cast as Sonny Corleone.
00:50:25I know you can do it. All right, you prove it to me. You can do it. Go ahead, prove it.
00:50:29Paramount was adamant about finding a role for James Caan, however.
00:50:33Not wanting to lose De Niro, director Francis Ford Coppola gave him a smaller role as chauffeur Pauly Gatto.
00:50:40De Niro opted to instead do The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight, ironically replacing Al Pacino.
00:50:45My father taught me many things here. He taught me in this room. He taught me, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
00:50:59When Coppola committed to making The Godfather Part 2, he offered De Niro a much bigger role than Pauly or even Sonny.
00:51:06He'd be playing a young Vito Corleone, a role that had won Marlon Brando an Academy Award and would bring De Niro into the Oscar Winners Club.
00:51:27Would you like to see any of these alternative casting choices?
00:51:31You go in knowing you're not going to get it, but you're meeting the people that, you know, they might be like, it's not this, but we'll put him in this other thing.
00:51:40So I feel like that was one of the moments when they were like, hey, we can use him later.
00:51:46We are going to end things today with unforgettable auditions that instantly convinced directors, producers, and casting agents that they found their perfect star.
00:51:56I am empowered to take that alien with me.
00:52:00But you can't take him away, he's mine.
00:52:02Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the auditions that didn't just land an actor a job, they let everyone know they were a force to be reckoned with.
00:52:11You did the hacker?
00:52:12Yeah.
00:52:13That's the coolest audition I've ever seen.
00:52:16Number 10, Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana.
00:52:19The Disney star-turned-pop icon gave new meaning to the word persistence.
00:52:23She chased the leading spot on Hannah Montana for months, eventually recording multiple audition tapes.
00:52:28They said I was too young, too small, kind of put me aside, and I wasn't even auditioning for Hannah, I was auditioning for Lily.
00:52:34And then they were like, you know, do this, and they're still too small, and it kept going.
00:52:37Even when they said no, I was like, no, one more chance, and it turned into like 20 more chances.
00:52:41There's a world of difference between her auditions for the role.
00:52:45The first is too preppy, and too concerned with being what the creators want.
00:52:48Well, that's also so sweet, but a tiny bit suspicious.
00:52:53Let's see what the finger thinks.
00:52:55Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.
00:53:00Well, not the finger doesn't believe you.
00:53:03I just can't go, okay?
00:53:05The second time around, she is almost eerily confident and grounded,
00:53:09able to toss off the written jokes like she's coming up with them on the fly.
00:53:12By the time of her final audition, it's as if she's already in front of a live audience.
00:53:17I'm buying a call, and I don't expect you.
00:53:20What?
00:53:21I'm buying a call, and I don't expect you.
00:53:23What?
00:53:26I am buying a call, and I don't expect you.
00:53:31Number 9. Seth Rogen. Freaks and Geeks.
00:53:35Last year, right? You're that chick who got an A.
00:53:37Yeah, well, what are you gonna do?
00:53:40I don't know. What are you gonna do?
00:53:45Watching this one-season wonder now almost feels surreal.
00:53:48Much of the Freaks and Geeks ensemble went on to become major heavy hitters in film and television
00:53:53after the show came to an abrupt and undeserving end.
00:53:56But from the start, Seth Rogen's casual way with hilarious lines is evident.
00:54:00I have some thoughts, but I'm weighing my options.
00:54:05What are those options?
00:54:06Well, I could work my ass off on a freighter like my dad, or become a farmer.
00:54:13His audition tape for the role of the sarcastic Ken Miller is proof of the actor's unmistakable charisma.
00:54:20Effortlessly funny and confident, everything we know of him as a performer is right there from the jump.
00:54:25Despite still being a teenager at the time, he's already got the essential ingredients that would make him a star.
00:54:30Yeah? That's why when some idiot teacher tells me I'm not living up to my potential, just smile, because I know I am.
00:54:37Correct me if I'm wrong, but my character, Jack Scanty, is the type of guy that could be a neighbour or a work buddy.
00:54:48The type of guy who rolls up his sleeve and says,
00:54:51Hey, I got a job to do, I'm gonna do it.
00:54:54TV Guide ranked him as the second best SNL cast member of all time.
00:54:58Coming in second to a legend like Eddie Murphy can't feel too bad.
00:55:02Will Ferrell's brilliance is clear in his original audition tape.
00:55:05I took a 12, and I was fine after that, but boy, you're right, that whole...
00:55:09If you don't get off the shed in two seconds, I'm gonna shove this spatula into orifices you didn't know you had.
00:55:18Now get off the shed!
00:55:20But, uh, yeah, it was a...
00:55:21Anybody want a burger? Who wants a burger?
00:55:23The SNL audition process is fabled for the sheer terror it inspires.
00:55:27Lorne Michaels and the producers are a famously tough audience.
00:55:31Performing on the famed 8-H stage, Ferrell manages to not just get laughs,
00:55:35but some actual applause for his impressions and two hilarious original characters.
00:55:40Both of these new creations would make it onto the show.
00:55:43Tell Don Jacobs to hold. Yes, no, I'm busy. Thank you.
00:55:53Number 7, Emma Stone, Easy A.
00:55:55Before she became a Hollywood powerhouse, the star of La La Land and Poor Things was a dependable supporting performer in popular comedies.
00:56:02With Easy A, she proved she was a movie star in her own right.
00:56:06The role required her to sling witticisms and young millennial awkwardness like it's coming out of her skin.
00:56:12From her very first webcam self-tape, which is directed straight to camera, she is remarkable.
00:56:17Let the record show that I, Olive Pendergast, being of sound mind, ample-ish breast size,
00:56:24and the occasional corny knock-knock joke, do enter this video blog as evidence in the case against me.
00:56:29And because I'm being judged by a jury of my peers, I will attempt to insert like and totally as much as possible.
00:56:35So, here it goes.
00:56:36She is a natural. There's nothing even remotely performative about her.
00:56:40It's the true start to one of modern Hollywood's most accomplished and varied careers.
00:56:45Let me begin by saying that there are two sides to every story, and this is my side.
00:56:50The right one. Like, totally.
00:56:53Number 6, Gabourey Sidibe, Precious.
00:56:56Clarice Precious Jones is a role that requires an actor who can handle some deep emotional depths.
00:57:01It was also Gabourey Sidibe's first film role.
00:57:04Every day I tell myself, if something's gonna happen, I'm gonna break through.
00:57:12If somebody's gonna break through to me.
00:57:14The amount of confidence that producers Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey and director Lee Daniels placed in her is truly special.
00:57:21And that's exactly the feeling when you see her audition tape.
00:57:24I'm tired, Lusane.
00:57:27I know you are, but you can't stop now. You've got to fight through this.
00:57:32You still have to live your life and do the best you can with the hand you've been dealt.
00:57:36If not for yourself, then for the people who love you.
00:57:39That's a lie. Nobody loved me.
00:57:42People do love you, Precious.
00:57:44Sidibe transforms into the character before our eyes.
00:57:47The scene she reads is particularly heavy, and her sobbing confession is pretty breathtaking.
00:57:52Once the movie was released, she joined an elite club of people Oscar-nominated for their screen debut.
00:57:58You don't even like me.
00:57:59Have we not been in this room together for like a year, discussing your life?
00:58:06Does that mean we like each other because we discussed my life?
00:58:09I can't speak for you. I can only speak for me.
00:58:12And I do like you. I do.
00:58:15Number five, Bill Skarsgård.
00:58:17It.
00:58:18He's a modern master of movie monsters.
00:58:20Bill Skarsgård brought Stephen King's snarling and shape-shifting killer clown back to life in the 2017 film, and he became an instant icon.
00:58:29I should get going now.
00:58:33Without you, Beau?
00:58:35Because you don't want to lose it, Georgie.
00:58:38Bill's going to kill you.
00:58:39Producers were immediately locked in.
00:58:41The actor's read on the character was exactly what they had in mind.
00:58:44Is this your vote?
00:58:48It's a nice vote.
00:58:51Votes.
00:58:52From his creepy smile to his deceptively thoughtful manner, Skarsgård imbued Pennywise the Dancing Clown with a childish kind of evil that's just way too convincing.
00:59:01He's the kind of performer who can completely transform in the most hideous and instantly unforgettable ways.
00:59:06What do they call you?
00:59:09Georgie.
00:59:10Georgie.
00:59:12Now we aren't strangers, are we?
00:59:15Number four, Jason Momoa, Game of Thrones.
00:59:18To play Khal Drogo on the HBO series Barn Burner of a first season, the future Aquaman actor knew that he needed to make an impression.
00:59:25After all, this would be his biggest role to date.
00:59:28Do you see how long his hair is?
00:59:30When Dothraki are defeated in combat, they cut off their brain so the whole world can see their shape.
00:59:37Khal Drogo has never been defeated.
00:59:40Hawaiian actor Jason Momoa racked his brain trying to figure out how to convey the character's ferocity and strength without dialogue.
00:59:48He decided to do a traditional haka dance.
00:59:50I was very, I was unsure if I was going to do it.
00:59:52I asked my buddy and he's like, yeah, you got to do it.
00:59:54But it was weird because it was just two little nice ladies recording.
01:00:00And I'm like, oh, do you mind if I try something first before we do the audition?
01:00:03And they're like, oh, please be delighted.
01:00:05And then I just start getting into it, which is rather scary.
01:00:10It was so effective, the casting team made him do it again so they could film it.
01:00:15For an actor whose physical presence is as well known as his acting skills, it's a fitting beginning to an illustrious career.
01:00:21Number three, Matthew McConaughey, Dazed and Confused.
01:00:34All right, all right, all right.
01:00:36Oh, Christ.
01:00:38How you doing?
01:00:40Easygoing David Wooderson gives new meaning to the word laid back.
01:00:45In the audition tape for his first major film role, Matthew McConaughey slips right into character.
01:00:50He oozes charisma, even when what he's saying is incredibly morally questionable.
01:00:55That's what I love about high school girls, man.
01:00:58I keep getting older, but they stay the same age.
01:01:00That's a movie star being born right before our eyes.
01:01:03There's a reason why his role in Dazed and Confused is so well regarded.
01:01:06Wooderson became a part of Matthew McConaughey's entire screen persona.
01:01:10You know an actor's done a great job when people are still quoting their character well over 30 years later.
01:01:16The older you do get, the more rules you're gonna try to get you to follow.
01:01:20You just gotta keep living, man.
01:01:23L-I-V-I-N.
01:01:25Number two, Rachel McAdams, The Notebook.
01:01:27Between this and Mean Girls, Rachel McAdams was about to blow up in a big way.
01:01:32Both movies proved that she could kill it with comedy or drama,
01:01:34but when she auditioned with co-star Ryan Gosling, she showed off major dramatic skills.
01:01:39I made a promise to a man.
01:01:41He gave me a ring and I gave him my word.
01:01:44And your word is shot to hell, don't you think?
01:01:46Well, I don't know. I'll find out when I talk to him.
01:01:48So you're not gonna break your promise? That's what this is about?
01:01:51I thought it was about following your heart, Al.
01:01:55You can hear the emotions in her quivering voice.
01:01:58And despite being relatively early in the process of discovering her character,
01:02:01she has a firm hold on her already.
01:02:03Haven't you been paying attention then for the past?
01:02:05What do you think's been happening here?
01:02:07I don't know. I think I must have misread the signal.
01:02:09Yeah, I guess you did.
01:02:11The rumor is that it was down to her and Britney Spears for the part of Ali in The Notebook.
01:02:15But McAdams' ability is undeniable.
01:02:17The fact that it's even better in the finished film is just more proof of her talent.
01:02:22I lost you once. I think I could do it again.
01:02:25If I thought it's what you really wanted.
01:02:26But don't you take the easy way out.
01:02:29What easy way?
01:02:30There is no easy way.
01:02:32No matter what I do, somebody gets hurt.
01:02:34Number one, Henry Thomas.
01:02:35E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
01:02:38The young actor at the center of director Steven Spielberg's science fiction classic is a marvel.
01:02:43At only 10 years old, Henry Thomas gave a tremendous performance that emotionally anchored E.T.
01:02:48Interestingly, Thomas didn't do well in his initial audition process.
01:02:56It was only after he was able to demonstrate his range in an improv that Spielberg offered him the job right there in the audition room.
01:03:03It's easy to see why.
01:03:05The tape is genuinely moving.
01:03:06You can't take him away. He's mine.
01:03:09But it's not my choice. The president asked me to come here and get him.
01:03:13I don't care what the president says. He's my best friend. And you can't take him away.
01:03:18You'd be forgiven if you forgot he was acting and just started bawling right along with him.
01:03:23And when he instantly snaps out of it, you realize you're watching a young master.
01:03:28That might make your whole day, huh? Might make your whole life, huh?
01:03:32Then he'd be your friend forever. And I wouldn't take him away.
01:03:35Okay. Okay, kid. You got the job.
01:03:42Which of these auditions did you think was the most impressive?
01:03:46So tell me, do you have any fun fan casting ideas?
01:03:50Which Hollywood casting story is your favorite?
01:03:54Thanks for watching, everybody. I've been Matt for Ms. Mojo, and I'll see you next time.
01:04:05I'll see you next time.
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