Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage; A24
James Cordenonce considered playingBrendan Fraser’s role inThe Whale.
Last Friday, Deadline’s awards columnistPete Hammondpenned a column in which he wrote that Corden, 44, recently told him that he was at one point attached to star in the movie as lead character Charlie.
“I was going to play that part, and Tom Ford was going to direct,” Corden told Deadline, though he noted that the project did not come together under theNocturnal Animalsdirector because Ford wanted “more complete control” over the movie.
Corden also said during the conversation thatGeorge Clooneywas at one point interested in making the movie, but only if the project could cast an actual 600-lb. actor to match the character’s physical appearance, the outlet reported.
Hammond added in the column that directorDarren Aronofsky, who spent roughly a decade working on developingThe Whalefrom a stage play to the screen, confirmed Corden’s account of his brief attachment to the movie.
As far as Clooney’s reported interest in casting a 600-lb. unknown actor to star in the movie, Aronofsky, 53, toldVarietyin an October cover story that he too at firstsearched for an actor who more closely resembled Charlie’s appearancebefore he turned to casting Fraser, 54.
Brendan Fraser inThe Whale(2022).Courtesy of A24
“There was a chapter in the making of this film where we tried to research obese actors,” the director said, addressing backlash over Fraser’s portrayal. “Outside of not being able to find an actor who could pull off the emotions of the role, it just becomes a crazy chase.”
“Like, if you can’t find a 600-lb. actor, is a 300-lb. actor or 400-lb. actor enough?” Aronofsky added.
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Aronofsky added that “from a health perspective, it’s prohibitive,” saying, “It’s an impossible role to fill with a real person dealing with those issues.”
James Corden (L); Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee.Dia Dipasupil/Getty, Pierre Vinet/New Line/Saul Zaentz/Wing Nut/Kobal/Shutterstock
“Iauditioned for Samwise[Gamgee],” Corden said about the part of the hobbit character that eventually went toSean Astin. “I was doing the accent and everything: ‘Mr Frodo!’ "
Callinghis audition “not good,“Corden went on to reveal he tried out with two friends and that they “all got called back the next day” and the day after that as well.
But, “None of us got called back after that,” he said with a laugh, adding that he “very much enjoy(s)” theLord of the Ringsfilms today, with no hard feelings.
source: people.com
