# Worst Examples of Miscasting **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090 "2005-02-03T01:37:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/41 "2005-02-03T15:27:13Z")
Lucille Ball as Mame. Oh. My. God. I mean, I love Lucy (heh!) but that was so not her role. It’s a MUSICAL, for Og’s sake! That means she has to sing! Lucille Ball croaks. She does not sing. Besides, at that point, she was already far too old to be playing Mame. The ideal would have been Lucille Ball in the original movie and a miraculously rejuvenated Roz Russell in the musical… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/42 "2005-02-03T15:59:36Z")
How about the not-Middle Eastern Eddie Alberrt as Hakim the peddler in _Oklahoma_ ? I recall when Robert Altman’s _Nashville_ came out, our local paper had one critic that thought it was the greatest film ever made, and another who declared it to be Worst. Movie. Ever. The paper printed their reviews side by side. “Henry Gibson, stunningly cast against type…” “Henry Gibson, woefully miscast…” ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/43 "2005-02-03T15:59:52Z")
> [@GrizzRich](#): > > Dick van Dyke in _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_. > > His children and his father had British accents. > And he didn’t. After Mary Poppins, he had his British Accent Liscence revoked. And not to quibble with the thread title, but the worst examples of miscasting is a little of a double negative. The worst example would be the person who fit the role best. Aren’t we actually looking for the best examples of miscasting? St. E., H.M.S.H. who is more than a little anal this morning ---
**Author:** ![Dancer\_Flight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dancer_flight/32/7601_2.png) [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/44 "2005-02-03T16:11:18Z")
Ben Affleck as (anything, really) Jack Ryan in _Sum of All Fears_ (The character [in the book, let’s not talk about the hack job of film adaptation] is supposed to be the effective second in command of the CIA for Og’s sake). For that matter, shoulda stuck with Alec Baldwin throughout the franchise. -DF ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/45 "2005-02-03T16:11:31Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > How about all those idiot Hollywood starlets as PhD’s, from Tara Reid in _Alone in the Dark_ back through Daryl Hannah in _Roxanne_? Tara Reid has been miscast in every role she’s ever played. Except maybe _Josie and the Pussycats_, because her character in that film was supposed to be an idiot. In the same vein, Denise Richards as a Ph.D. biochemist in that James Bond movie. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/46 "2005-02-03T16:17:26Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Charlton Heston as a Mexican cop in the otherwise flawless _Touch of Evil_. > > Charlton Heston as Moses in _The Ten Commandments_. > > Charlton Heston as Ben Hur in _Ben Hur_. > > Charlton Heston as Marc Antony in _Antony and Cleopatra_, and again in _Julius Caesar_. > > Charlton Heston as Michelangelo in _The Agony and The Ecstasy_. > > Charlton Heston as El Cid, in _El Cid_. > > Charlt… > > Actually, Charlton Heston as anything but a smug American, really. OK, we get it. You don’t like Charlton Heston. Frankly, I think he was excellent in the three of these movies I have seen, within the limits of the genre ('50s era period piece). Sure he was playing an American… but what actor in that time and place and genre didn’t? Seeing him in modern dress (_Earthquake_, _Airport 1975_ just doesn’t work for me. As for the “smug” part… I suggest that your disdain for his politics may be coloring your judgement… ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/47 "2005-02-03T16:40:14Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > > [@Anaamika](#): > > > > Ok, I’m leaving the thread laughing. Seriously, what is it with American cinema, anyway? Would it kill people to use, say a real Arabic/Indian/Chinese/Mexican/what-have-you guy? > > Well, back then it probably would. Today, authenticity is getting to be more important but back in those days it wasn’t. On the same note, David Carradine as a Chinese? Tibean? in “Kung Fu”. For years, I wondered what in the hell an American was doing in a 19th century Shaolin monastery. Then I read that Bruce Lee had conceived of the show and was orginally slated to star in it before the producers decided that he was “too Chinese” for the role. B-ZARE. And not only did Wayne look monumentally wrong as a Mongol, his kiln-dried delivery of the horribly cliched dialog puts the film in the geographical center of “so bad it’s gone past good and back to bad again” territory. I thought he was perfect in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, though. Awkward, bombastic machismo to cover up insecurities was _exactly_ what that role called for. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/48 "2005-02-03T17:13:01Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > I thought we’d settled this a long time ago. For anyone who came in late… > > _The Conqueror_, John Wayne, Genghis Khan I’ll try to challenge that with John Cleese as Sheriff John T. Langston, Turley in Silverado. ---
**Author:** ![Selkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Selkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Selkie)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/49 "2005-02-03T17:26:28Z")
Anthony Hopkins, as an American black man passing for white, in _The Human Stain_. Nicole Kidman as a white trash milkmaid, in _The Human Stain_. Denise Richards as a scientist, in _The World is Not Enough_ Elisabeth Shue as a scientist in _The Saint_. Keanu Reeves as a scientist in _Chain Reaction_. (see a trend developing?) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/50 "2005-02-03T17:33:06Z")
> [@Selkie](#): > > Anthony Hopkins, as an American black man passing for white, in _The Human Stain_. In similar fashion, [Jeanne Crain](http://www.angelfire.com/film/robbed/pinkywill.jpg) as a biracial passing for white, in _Pinky_. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/51 "2005-02-03T17:35:09Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Mos Def is playing Prefect, not Will Smith. Still isn’t Prefect a bright red haired white dude? WTF were they thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/52 "2005-02-03T17:35:29Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The ideal would have been Lucille Ball in the original movie and a miraculously rejuvenated Roz Russell in the musical… No, no, no, no… Rosiland Russell is to Mame Dennis what Vivian Leigh was to Scarlett O’Hara or Sean Connery is to James Bond or Alistar Cooke is to Ebenzer Scrooge. She **IS** the ideal. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/53 "2005-02-03T17:37:20Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > In similar fashion, [Jeanne Crain](http://www.angelfire.com/film/robbed/pinkywill.jpg) as a biracial passing for white, in _Pinky_. “as a biracial _woman_ passing for white…” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/54 "2005-02-03T17:38:39Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > or Alistar Cooke is to Ebenzer Scrooge. She **IS** the ideal. Alistair Sim? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/55 "2005-02-03T17:38:45Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > No, no, no, no… Rosiland Russell is to Mame Dennis what Vivian Leigh was to Scarlett O’Hara or Sean Connery is to James Bond or Alistar Cooke is to Ebenzer Scrooge. She **IS** the ideal. I’m on board with that. Roz in the original movie AND a miraculously rejuvenated Roz in the musical! That would make my world SO perfect… ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/56 "2005-02-03T17:48:26Z")
D’oh! Alistar Sim, Yeah. I knew something was wonky about that sentence… Neither Anthony Hopkins nor Jeane Crain is completely out of the question as blacks passing for whites, though, if you assume they’ve altered their appearances somewhat and deliberately adopted non-ethnic mannerisms and modes of speech. What I’ve found incredulous was airheaded Nicole Richie as the daughter (adopted or biological) of R&B pillar Lionel Richie. Hell, I even buy Danny Masterson as a brother before that! ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/57 "2005-02-03T18:00:30Z")
William Hurt as Duke Leto Atreides in the Dune mini-series. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/58 "2005-02-03T18:01:00Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Michael Keaton as Batman I can’t agree. I did agree before I saw the movie, but I think Keaton did an excellent job. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/59 "2005-02-03T18:01:27Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > On the same note, David Carradine as a Chinese? You think that’s bad, try James Mason and Burgess Meredith as Chinese people in The Yin and Yang of Mr. Go. At least casting Jeff Bridges as an American hippie worked out. James Whitmore in Black Like Me. I know, he was supposed to be a white man passing as black, but I can assure you that Mr. Whitmore has no rhythm whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090/60 "2005-02-03T18:11:15Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > On the same note, David Carradine as a Chinese? Tibean? in “Kung Fu”. For years, I wondered what in the hell an American was doing in a 19th century Shaolin monastery. Then I read that Bruce Lee had conceived of the show and was orginally slated to star in it before the producers decided that he was “too Chinese” for the role. > > B-ZARE. In the producers…defense…the character was supposed to be half-American. Quai-Chang Caine…and part of the backstory was that he was searching for his American mother. It was still wrong. Should’a been Bruce Lee. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-examples-of-miscasting/288090.md?page=4)