Top 5 Celebrity Runner-Up Castings

By Jeff Wysaski on July 2nd, 2009

Could you picture anyone other than Jason Alexander playing George Costanza on Seinfeld? Would Arrested Development have been as satisfying had Will Arnett not been cast as GOB?

Before many actors and actresses hit it big, they get tantalizingly close to being cast in a number of other roles. And if any of these runner-ups ever go on to star in another TV show or movie, then their early failures suddenly become a topic of interest among the general public. As such, here are five of the most interesting celebrity runner-ups for TV castings that occurred over the years:

Shrek – Chris Farley as Shrek

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Chris Farley had a handful of projects lined up at the time of his unfortunate death. As the title of this paragraph indicates, one of them was lending his voice to the titular role in Dreamworks animated Shrek. Apparently, Farley had even begun recording vocals before he died. Of course, the role would eventually go to fellow SNL-alumni, Mike Myers. Unlike the rest of the names on this list, I can see Farley serving the role ably.

Arrested Development – Rainn Wilson as GOB

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We all love Rainn Wilson’s portrayal of Dwight on The Office, but did you know that the role of Michael Bluth’s screw-up older brother was almost given to Michael Scott’s eventual Assistant to the Regional Manager? According to casting directors for Arrested Development, the choice for the role was narrowed to between Wilson and Arnett. On a related note, Jenna Fischer was almost given the lead role as Sydney Bristow in “Alias,” but was deemed not sexy enough by casting directors.

Star Wars – Sylvester Stallone as Han Solo

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According to George Lucas, Sly Stallone was one of more than 1,000 actors considered for the role of Han Solo. Somehow, I don’t think his stroke-like speech impediment would have flown in outer space. Interestingly, Sly is one of several odd actors who could have ruined one of the greatest movies of all time. Others in the running included Nick Nolte, Burt Reynolds and Christopher Walken. And apparently Al Paino was offered the role, but turned it down.

Seinfeld – Paul Shaffer as George Costanza

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Before annoying millions of viewers each night as the band leader of The Late Show with David Letterman, Paul Shaffer was a legitimate comedian/actor. During his stint on Saturday Night Live, he got to know future-Seinfeld creator Larry David (who was a writer on the show). According to Shaffer’s new book (yes, he wrote a book for some reason), Larry offered him the role without even asking him to audition. Thankfully, Shaffer took too long to get back to him, and the role was given to George Costanza. Another near-miss that could have ruined the beloved sitcom? Rosie O’Donnell as Elaine.

The Terminator – O.J. Simpson as the Terminator

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Before the Juice was a real killer, he was considered for the starring role in The Terminator. Ironically, those behind the film didn’t think he’d be taken seriously as a murderer, and thus smartly handed the role to Arnold Schwarzenegger. It would take him over 10 years to finally prove them wrong.