# Most Stunning Miscasts Of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644 "2003-05-26T22:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/141 "2003-05-29T16:24:39Z")
How about Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face in that one Batman movie? First of all, Harvey Dent was played by a black guy in the first movie. Worse was the fact that Jones’ performance was hopelessly unconvincing. Two-Face has Multiple Personality Disorder, but Tommy Lee just seemed to be indecisive. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/142 "2003-05-29T16:56:09Z")
Howyadoin, Speaking of _The Shining_, forget Shelly Duvall, how about Rebecca-ferchrissakes-DeMornay as Wendy in the TV movie? Or perhaps Stephen-saintspreserveus-Weber as Jack in the same? Gack… -Rav ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/143 "2003-05-29T17:28:38Z")
Going way back, Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes in GWTW. Ashley was supposed to be gorgeous and dreamy and netherworldly; Howard was middle aged and obnoxious. Lucille Ball in MAME. Too old and not dignified enough. Melanie Griffith in SHINING THROUGH has been mentioned already, but bears repeating. I’m convinced she took personal acting lessons from Henrietta Pussycat. “Meow meow meow Mr. Nazi please let me save my boyfriend”. Anthony Hopkins (a great actor) in THE LION IN WINTER (a great movie). The role should have gone to somebody more…hmmm… regal, perhaps. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in DOGMA. Alan Rickman in RASPUTIN. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/144 "2003-05-29T18:33:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KidCharlemagne \* > \*\*He is often miscast but I really liked him in \*Three Kings[/]. Can’t quite figure out why - He plays a good “confused.” \*\* As I was sitting here trying to remember another good Mark Wahlberg performance, that one completely slipped my mind. Part of his problem as an actor, methinks, but he was good in that one. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/145 "2003-05-29T19:27:38Z")
I thought Wahlberg was fine in THE PERFECT STORM. And oh yeah, the Broderick miscast in TMM was widely remarked on in theater circles. And he’s been good elsewhere, like HOW TO SUCCEED and THE PRODUCERS. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/146 "2003-05-29T19:39:26Z")
Forgot about that one too. OK then, I amend my statement to the following: • Mark Wahlberg, in every movie **in which he’s the lead** except _Boogie Nights_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/147 "2003-05-29T19:45:40Z")
Nice call on Julia Roberts. _Ocean’s 11_ was not an emotionally complex movie, but she was just a brick wall in it. Every scene with her just sorta died. Not that I’m a big fan of hers anyway. **Nevermore** , don’t you start badmouthing Alan Cumming. I will BAMF your ass so fast- 😉 😉 Anyway, how about Peter O’Toole in _Phantoms_? Yuck. We couldn’t figure out why on Earth he’d agreed to be in this movie. Maybe somebody had incriminating pictures. :dubious: Kevin Coster in _13 Days_. His accent was awful - as I’m told his accents always are - his character’s role was completely made up (one wonders if Costner’s role as exec producer had anything to do with that)… his accent was awful (DEFINITELY bad enough to merit two mentions), and he was just wrong. I’m tempted to include Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu in _The Phantom Menace_. He was given nothing to do. Why have Samuel L. Jackson if he’s not going to kick any ass? Someone mentioned Michelle Pfeiffer in _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_- I didn’t think Calista Flockheart was too good either. ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/148 "2003-05-29T19:56:58Z")
I think N’Bushe Wright (she was in _Blade_) would have made a much better Storm than Halle Berry. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/149 "2003-05-29T20:08:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NailBunny \* > **Molly Ringwald as Frannie Goldsmith in _The Stand_. That’s just…wrong. But they got so many other characters like Tom, Stu and Glen so totally right that I forgave them.** I thought Molly Ringwald did a fine job; it’s just that after reading the descriptions of Fran’s golden hair, she didn’t exactly match my mental image of the character. > [@](#): > > \*\*And the actress cast as Beverly in _It_ was also a million miles off the mark. First of all there was the whole matter of the fact that **Beverly had red hair** , and the actress had flat mousy brown hair, yet mysteriously still received the haiku from Ben about her hair “like winter fire”. And Bill Denbrough, who in the book was bald, but in the movie had a sensitive new-agey _ponytail_?! \*\* And those were the _smallest_ things wrong with that film. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/150 "2003-05-29T20:11:36Z")
**NailBunny** : Molly Ringwald as Frannie Goldsmith in The Stand. That’s just…wrong. But they got so many other characters like Tom, Stu and Glen so totally right that I forgave them.\*\* Not really a miscast, but I thought that one of the most horribly interpreted roles ever occurred in this series: Laura San Giacomo as Nadine Cross was freakin’ _horrible_. Totally destroyed the importance of the character. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/151 "2003-05-29T20:14:06Z")
I thought the 2 leads in the big TV miniseries of “The Thorn Birds” were really terribly miscast. ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c37758/32.png) [@Homer\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/152 "2003-05-29T21:02:17Z")
Before Keanu Reeves was cast as Neo they approached WIll Smith and then Ewan Mcgregor, either of these would have been so much worse, and possible the worst miscast ever. Will Smiths brash, annoying voice would have undermimed the entire depth of the films, while ewan mcgregor wouldn’t have been able to fight higher than waist height, plus who can take him seriously after star wars. (ps. sorry if someone wrote this, but i didn’t read the whole post) ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/153 "2003-05-29T21:36:50Z")
Did anyone mention Edward G. Robinson in _The Ten Commandments_? WTF? And I highly agree on Julia Roberts in Ocean’s Eleven. It just didn’t work. And how about a ruling on people casting their real-life spouses in starring roles? Like Steve Martin putting his wife Victoria Tennant as his love-interest in _L.A. Story_? I just kept thinking: “And he likes her because…?” ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/154 "2003-05-29T22:00:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Homer J \* > \*\*Before Keanu Reeves was cast as Neo they approached WIll Smith and then Ewan Mcgregor, either of these would have been so much worse, and possible the worst miscast ever. Will Smiths brash, annoying voice would have undermimed the entire depth of the films, while ewan mcgregor wouldn’t have been able to fight higher than waist height, > \*\* You seem to be implying that McGregor is unusually short, but as he is not I don’t know what you mean by his inability to “fight higher than waist height”. I see no reason to believe he could not have mastered the same skills Reeves did for the film. > [@](#): > > \*\* > plus who can take him seriously after star wars.\*\* People who have seen him in pretty much anything other than _Star Wars_. McGregor has a well-deserved professional reputation as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’d have been right in _The Matrix_…I don’t know, as I’ve never seen the film. I’ve made it a point not to. I’d have watched it if it had starred, well, pretty much _anyone_ other than the perpeptually wooden Reeves though, so from my personal perspective Smith or McGregor would have been a much better choice. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/155 "2003-05-30T00:24:02Z")
I know he has more range as an actor than he usually displays in the big-budget blockbusters he does, but when you said Will Smith was in consideration for _The Matrix_ one image popped into my head instantly. Will Smith as Neo: “Yo! Whoa.” ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/156 "2003-05-30T03:00:59Z")
Will Smith as Neo?! Thank God that deal didn’t work out. Will Smith’s got too much of a reputation as a comic actor to be taken seriously. It would be like casting Jim Carrey as Neo. As for Ewan McGregor…it’s possible, but I don’t see it working. Maybe it’s just because I’m used to Keanu Reeves in the role. But Wiull Smith as Neo would be a match made in the deepest pits of Hades. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/157 "2003-05-30T03:02:07Z")
As would Will Smith… :o ---
**Author:** ![lilbtagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@lilbtagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilbtagna)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/158 "2003-05-30T03:42:40Z")
I think Will Smith would have been awful as Neo. One of my friends said he heard that Smith was approached with the story and didn’t get it at all, so he turned it down to do other stuff. I know he can do good, serious movies too, but I’ll forever think of him as the Fresh Prince. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/159 "2003-05-30T05:45:51Z")
Will Smith as Neo would’ve been pretty awful. Although _The Fresh Prince of The Matrix_ sounds hilarious to me. I like Ewan McGregor… I don’t know if he’d work as Neo either, but part of what makes _The Matrix_ what it is is the way Keanu Reeves fits the part. His normal failings - wooden delivery, an apparent lack of comprehension of **anything** - are perfect for the character. Well, except the love scenes in _Reloaded_. ---
**Author:** ![AnnaLivia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@AnnaLivia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnnaLivia)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644/160 "2003-05-30T14:14:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KarlGauss \* > \*\*You don’t know what miscast means. > > Miscast means **Laurence Olivier** playing an aging Jewish cantor in the turkey called _The Jazz Singer_. And he didn’t help things by mixing his Yiddish and Irish accents, either. \*\* actually, the only thing that comes to mind when I see that movie now is “Is it safe?” It’s freakout city from that point on. Run, Neil, he’s a Nazi! to reply to an earlier post, re: Julia Roberts in _Michael Collins_: Neil Jordan wrote about all the lovely other actresses he had in mind for the part. I think Julianne Moore was one of the names tossed around for Kitty. But Roberts had something going for her at the moment- that ditzy persona. Kitty was no mental giant, but very sweet and more than a little dense. The accent, on the other hand. Ugh. See \* Mary Reilly\*. Ugh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-stunning-miscasts-of-all-time/177644.md?page=9)