You might think that starring in a movie that flops, or getting your performance panned by the critics is the worst thing that can happen to a Hollywood star. STOP THAT THOUGHT! Admittedly, a dressing down by movie buffs is never fun, but nothing is more humiliating than getting fired from a movie - while you’re still filming it! Not only are you not good enough to win over audiences and critics alike, you can’t even convince your colleagues you’re up to the task.
We take a look at the actors that didn’t make the film and were left on the cutting room floor.
Eric Stoltz – Back To The Future
Possibly the most famous on-set sacking is the unceremonious binning of Eric Stoltz from the ‘Back To The Future’ franchise. Stoltz was cast as lead role Marty McFly and filmed for four weeks. However, after seeing a rough cut of the film, writer/director Robert Zemeckis and producer Steven Spielberg decided that Stoltz had played the role too seriously for a comedy, and he was replaced by Michael J. Fox. The rest is pop-culture history. Zemeckis was able to "convince the studio to let [him] reshoot five weeks of work," and Michael J. Fox was cast in a career-defining role.
Lori Petty – Demolition Man
Having broken into Hollywood in ‘Point Break’ and ‘A League of Their Own’, Lori Petty could have added another major film to her list in 1993. Originally cast as Lt. Lenina Huxley in action thriller ‘Demolition Man’, she was fired when she disagreed with producer Joel Silver over the direction of her character. The role was then handed over to Sandra Bullock. Lori’s career was then demolished.
Stuart Townsend – Lord Of The Rings
Irish actor Stuart Townsend, who had been cast to play the key role of Aragorn, was dumped after just two days of filming and left New Zealand (where it was filmed) the very same day. The shock dismissal was reportedly ordered by Jackson over what a senior studio executive described as "director-actor creative chemistry". It is understood no formal announcement was made and the dumping filtered through to bemused cast and crew over the next few days.
James Remar – Aliens
Remar was originally cast as Cpl. Hicks (my personal favourite character of all time) but was fired by James Cameron shortly after shooting began over "creative differences" and replaced by Michael Biehn. Remar can still be seen in the film during a shot where the Marines are walking through the complex, but the audience cannot tell it's him because his back is to the camera and he is in full costume.
Harvey Keitel – Apocalypse Now
After just a few days on set for ‘Apocalypse Now’, director Francis Ford Coppola was not happy with Keitel's take on Willard, saying that the actor "found it difficult to play him as a passive onlooker". After viewing early footage in Manila, the director took a plane back to Los Angeles and replaced Keitel with Martin Sheen. It’s since become one of the most revered films of all time.
Ryan Gosling – The Lovely Bones
Preparing for the role of Jack Salmon in ‘The Lovely Bones’, Gosling drank melted Haagen Dazs ice-cream when he was thirsty as that is what he imagined the character, a grieving-father, would do. His 60-pound weight gain did not sit well with director Peter Jackson and the film’s producers and he was subsequently dropped for a skinnier Mark Wahlberg.
Gig Young – Blazing Saddles
With a film career spanning over 35 years, Gig Young was a memorable figure in the hills of Hollywood. However, alcoholism plagued his later years, causing him to lose acting roles. He was fired on the first day of shooting the comedy film ‘Blazing Saddles’ after collapsing on the set due to withdrawal symptoms from alcohol.
Irish actor Stuart Townsend, who had been cast to play the key role of Aragorn, was dumped after just two days of filming and left New Zealand (where it was filmed) the very same day. The shock dismissal was reportedly ordered by Jackson over what a senior studio executive described as "director-actor creative chemistry". It is understood no formal announcement was made and the dumping filtered through to bemused cast and crew over the next few days.
James Remar – Aliens
Remar was originally cast as Cpl. Hicks (my personal favourite character of all time) but was fired by James Cameron shortly after shooting began over "creative differences" and replaced by Michael Biehn. Remar can still be seen in the film during a shot where the Marines are walking through the complex, but the audience cannot tell it's him because his back is to the camera and he is in full costume.
Harvey Keitel – Apocalypse Now
After just a few days on set for ‘Apocalypse Now’, director Francis Ford Coppola was not happy with Keitel's take on Willard, saying that the actor "found it difficult to play him as a passive onlooker". After viewing early footage in Manila, the director took a plane back to Los Angeles and replaced Keitel with Martin Sheen. It’s since become one of the most revered films of all time.
Ryan Gosling – The Lovely Bones
Preparing for the role of Jack Salmon in ‘The Lovely Bones’, Gosling drank melted Haagen Dazs ice-cream when he was thirsty as that is what he imagined the character, a grieving-father, would do. His 60-pound weight gain did not sit well with director Peter Jackson and the film’s producers and he was subsequently dropped for a skinnier Mark Wahlberg.
Gig Young – Blazing Saddles
With a film career spanning over 35 years, Gig Young was a memorable figure in the hills of Hollywood. However, alcoholism plagued his later years, causing him to lose acting roles. He was fired on the first day of shooting the comedy film ‘Blazing Saddles’ after collapsing on the set due to withdrawal symptoms from alcohol.
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Pruitt Taylor Vince - Cameraman
Police were called upon to remove director/star Pruitt Taylor Vince from a film set in Louisiana after a creative feud with producer David Newton Cole, according to TMZ. Vince was apparently fired in front of the crew for the movie ‘Cameraman’ when things got ugly and authorities were summoned to remove him.
Sean Young – Dick Tracy
Sean Young (AKA Mary Sean Young) is best known for her performances in films from the 1980s such as ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Dune’ and ‘No Way Out’. She was cast as Tess Trueheart in the 1990 movie ‘Dick Tracy’, but she was fired for not appearing maternal enough in the role. Young later claimed she was fired because she rebuffed the film’s star/director/producer Warren Beatty's advances, a claim Beatty denies – obviously.
Police were called upon to remove director/star Pruitt Taylor Vince from a film set in Louisiana after a creative feud with producer David Newton Cole, according to TMZ. Vince was apparently fired in front of the crew for the movie ‘Cameraman’ when things got ugly and authorities were summoned to remove him.
Sean Young – Dick Tracy
Sean Young (AKA Mary Sean Young) is best known for her performances in films from the 1980s such as ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Dune’ and ‘No Way Out’. She was cast as Tess Trueheart in the 1990 movie ‘Dick Tracy’, but she was fired for not appearing maternal enough in the role. Young later claimed she was fired because she rebuffed the film’s star/director/producer Warren Beatty's advances, a claim Beatty denies – obviously.
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