22 Iconic Movies And Series That Had To Recast Actors And Actresses
Drastic actions are taken when the face behind a character seems out of place. Creative teams usually recast actors and actresses to fix the problem at hand. Sometimes it happens days before production starts — on rare occasions, in the middle of filming. Even good actors and actresses get replaced when the feeling isn’t quite right. Reasons can vary from drastic ones to more minor, petty ones.
Sometimes, the vibe just isn’t there. If the chemistry in the movies or TV series isn’t there, characters could be recast at the snap of a finger. Sometimes, the decision is the correct one, other times — it is the wrong one. Even iconic movie characters are victims of recasting. For example, the classic Back to the Future cast had several changes, some of which happened before the second movie production started and involved the main characters we have come to universally love.
We have compiled the most famous recasting decisions in movies and TV shows. With the list below, you can find out how recasting Game of Thrones characters came to reality and much more. If you think the recasting decision was correct, upvote it. If you had another actor or actress in mind for the role, share it with a comment below.
#1 Stuart Townsend As Aragorn In "The Lord Of The Rings" Movies, Replaced By Viggo Mortensen
When production for Lord of the Rings began, Stuart Townsend, a relatively unknown actor in the business, barely lasted a few days as Aragorn. When the director realized Townsend was too young to play the Strider, he quickly cast Viggo Mortenson, who delivered a truly legendary performance.
Image credits: imdb.com
#2 Eric Stoltz As Marty McFly In "Back To The Future", Replaced By Michael J. Fox
Marty McFly wouldn't be the iconic character without the involvement of Michael J. Fox. Because of scheduling conflicts, Eric Stoltz got cast as Marty. However, his portrayal of the character and overall bad comedic timing was not quite what director Robert Zemeckis was looking for, and he effectively got recast.
Image credits: imdb.com
#3 Johnny Depp As Gellert Grindelwald In "Fantastic Beasts" Movies, Replaced By Mads Mikkelsen
Johnny Depp seems like a natural fit for the wizarding world of Harry Potter, so it was only natural that fans were happy with his casting. Sadly, when the Depp-Heard scandal hit society, he was practically fired, and Mads Mikkelsen replaced him in the Fantastic Beasts movies. Hopefully, we will see Depp on the big screen soon.
Image credits: imdb.com
#4 Chris Farley As The Voice Of Shrek In "Shrek" Movies, Replaced By Mike Myers
Chris Farley, a veteran of Saturday Night Live, was recruited to voice the title character in the 1995 film Shrek. Sadly, Farley passed away in 1997. Farley's rendition got left abandoned in favor of fellow SNL veteran Mike Myers. Myers insisted on using his distinctive Scottish accent for the role.
Image credits: Mike Steele
#5 Terrence Howard As James Rhodes In "Iron Man" Movies, Replaced By Don Cheadle
Terrence Howard, James Rhodes in Iron Man, is not a stranger to rumors and controversies. Legends are that Howard got fired for multiple reasons — poor performance and salary disputes being some of them. Don Cheadle came to replace Howard and give a face to the War Machine character.
Image credits: imdb.com
#6 Edward Norton As The Hulk, Replaced By Mark Ruffalo
Sometimes, even an A-list actor is not worth keeping around. While Mark Ruffalo might be the face of the modern Hulk, Edward Norton was the second to play it in the 21st century. Luckily, the Hulk got recast when Marvel started to look for a more group-friendly face. In their crosshairs came Ruffalo, the original first choice for Hulk.
Image credits: imdb.com
#7 Claudia Wells As Jennifer In "Back To The Future", Replaced By Elisabeth Shue
In the original movie, Jennifer was seen only at the start and at the end, and Claudia Wells got the role. When it came time to film the sequel, Wells did not reprise her acting role due to family problems. Forced to recast the role, Elisabeth Shue auditioned and got the part of Jennifer.
Image credits: imdb.com
#8 Katie Holmes As Rachel Dawes In "The Dark Knight" Trilogy, Replaced By Maggie Gyllenhaal
Christopher Nolan wanted Katie Holmes to portray Rachel Dawes for both Batman movies, but because of scheduling and personal problems, she had to refuse it. Maggie Gyllenhaal replaced Holmes and acted in one of the best Batman movies ever. The good thing is that there are no hard feelings on all sides.
Image credits: imdb.com
#9 Colin Firth As The Voice Of Paddington In "Paddington", Replaced By Ben Whishaw
Colin Firth was the original voice of the adorable bear. Firth willingly left the movie as it became clear to all parties involved that his voice was not the right one for the part. Without Ben Whishaw's unique demeanor, which he imparts to the two flawless movies, it is difficult to conceive the marmalade master.
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#10 Ed Skrein As Daario Naharis In "Game Of Thrones", Replaced By Michiel Huisman
Game of Thrones is not a stranger to recasting minor characters. One of the most visible ones is Daario Naharis. Ed Skrein was the original actor to portray the mercenary, but because of political reasons and (more likely) the wish to act in a Transporter movie, he had to leave the series. Michiel Huisman replaced the actor for the rest of the seasons.
Image credits: imdb.com
#11 Rachel Weisz As Evie In "The Mummy" Movies, Replaced By Maria Bello
In the Frasers’ trilogy of Mummy movies, the character of Evie was played by Rachel Weisz for the first two movies and Maria Bello for the third one. Weisz had problems with the third movie's script and decided to leave the role behind — Bello came to replace her .
Image credits: imdb.com
#12 Anita Barone As Carol In "Friends", Replaced By Jane Sibbett
Anita Barone portrayed Carol in Friends for one episode, The One With The Sonogram At The End. Because Barone wanted a more vital role in the series, she left the project, and Jane Sibbett came to replace her. Friends' general popularity, even with a small screen time, was enough to make Jane Sibbett a vital part of the series.
Image credits: imdb.com
#13 Janet Hubert As Vivian Banks In "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air", Replaced By Daphne Maxwell Reid
So-called “creative differences” separated Janet Hubert from her role as Vivian Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. On the other hand, Hubert says that the studio behind the series offered her a horrible deal, which she couldn’t accept. Daphne Maxwell Reid came to replace Hubert for 79 episodes.
Image credits: imdb.com
#14 Alessandra Torresani As Ann Veal In "Arrested Development", Replaced By Mae Whitman
These days, Mae Whitman might be the face that best suits Ann Veal's character. In the first season, Alessandra Torresani played the character. The recasting was planned from the very start of the series in order to make the character more forgettable. Ironically, Mae Whitman did such a good job that she got the role full-time.
Image credits: imdb.com
#15 Lisa Robin Kelly As Lori In "That '70s Show", Replaced By Christina Moore
Lisa departed That '70s Show after medical problems created some personal problems. In 2012, she admitted to having a drinking issue upon leaving That '70s Show, telling ABC News that she was "guilty of a drinking problem." Christine Moore came to replace her as the character of Lori.
Image credits: imdb.com
#16 Rachelle Lefevre As Victoria In "Twilight", Replaced By Bryce Dallas Howard
Rachelle Lefevre wanted to portray Victoria in Twilight so much that she wrote several letters to Catherine Hardwicke, director of the first movie. Sadly, after two entries into the series, Bryce Dallas Howard, another talented actress, came to portray the character of Victoria. Both actresses seem glad to have the chance and play this character.
Image credits: imdb.com
#17 Tom Ellis As Robin Hood In "Once Upon A Time", Replaced By Sean Maguire
The production was obliged to replace Tom since, at the time, he couldn't commit to portraying Robin Hood and had other obligations to complete. Sean Maguire got the role of Robin Hood, and as far as the public knows, there is no cold blood between Tom Ellis and the production executives.
Image credits: imdb.com
#18 Parker Bagley As Jason Dilaurentis In "Pretty Little Liars", Replaced By Drew Van Acker
Just as Jason's narrative on Pretty Little Liars started to become bigger and more significant, Drew got hired to deliver the much-needed drama for the character. The role became so large, the fans practically demanded for the character to be recast. Notably, Jason returned to Rosewood during Season 2 and began dating Aria.
Image credits: imdb.com
#19 Aimee Richardson As Myrcella Baratheon In "Game Of Thrones", Replaced By Nell Tiger Free
Like her character, Aimee Richardson also heard some surprising, sad news. During San Diego Comic-Con, she got the news of being fired and laughed it off, posting on social media “Princess for hire.” When Nell Tiger Free took up the role, she reacted calmly and admitted that she was humbled.
Image credits: imdb.com
#20 Jane Levy As Mandy Milkovich In "Shameless", Replaced By Emma Greenwell
Sometimes, the recasting happens because a better opportunity arises for the actor or actress, thus a decision is made to leave a good role for a greater one. In 2011, Jane left Shameless to play Tessa Altman on the incredibly underestimated yet brilliant television series Suburgatory. In her place came Emma Greenwell, who did a pretty good job.
Image credits: imdb.com
#21 Shannon Cochran As Helene Beesly In "The Office", Replaced By Linda Purl
Pam’s mom in The Office is a minor character, with two different actresses portraying her. Shannon Cochran was the original face of Pam’s mom, but because she was touring a theater at the time of her scenes, Linda Purl came into the series. Purl nailed her scenes, creating some legendary moments in the process.
Image credits: imdb.com
#22 Laura Benanti As Kara's Mom In "Supergirl", Replaced By Erica Durance
Since Laura was from New York City, she couldn't continue portraying Alura Zor-El, since the second season saw production in Vancouver. Erica Durance, who portrayed Lois in Smallville, was given the part of Kara's mother, hiring another actress who had already portrayed Lois Lane in another show.
Image credits: imdb.com
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