Adam Brody

  1. Benjamin McKenzie, The OC, TV, 2003-2007.      “I never wanna see that kid ever again.”   That’s writer Josh Schwartz after Brody never stuck to the script when testing as troubled teen Ryan Atwood in California’s Orange County.   One month later, when  the role of Seth remained empty, Brody was called back. He still improvised – but this time Schwartz saw something. “He reminds me of me!” And as Schwartz was the model for Seth, what could be better. Brody proved to be the best of the show. 
  2. Sam Huntingdon, Superman Returns, 2006.
  3. Jeremy Renner, The Bourne Legacy, 2011.    Three was enough for Matt Damon. (Until 2015…!)  The studio did not agree and kept the franchise alive by rebooting Jason Bourne as Aaron Cross – “There Was Never Just One.” But who to play him from 20 hopefuls- Erryn Arkin, Adam Brody, Dominic  Cooper, Paul Dano, Luke Evans, Michael Fassbender, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Hartnett, Garrett Hedlund, Oscar Isaac (he was made an Outcome super-agent), Taylor Kitsch, Shia LaBeouf,  Kellan Lutz, Logan Marshall-Green, Alex Pettyfer, Michael Pitt and Benjamin Walker. Plus Joel Edgerton and  Tobey Maguire, who were  Great Gatsbying down-under. Renner, Hollywood’s new white hope since The Hurt Locker, 2009, was suggested  for the Mission: Impossible.. if ever Tom Cruise retired.    
  4. Ryan Gosling, Gangster Squad, 2011.     The City v Public Enemy #1, circa ’49. Apart from Sean Penn’s uproarious make-up as Mickey Cohen (befitting his worst rôle), we’d seen it all before. Only better. Gosling won LAPD sergeant Jerry Wooters from Brody, Joel Edgerton, Luke Evans and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
  5. Ezra Miller, The Justice League, 2016.     For ten years, Warner exercised extreme cowardice, until Marvel showed them how to make superhero summits with Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. In October 2007, Mad Max’s dad, George Miller, found his Bat/Supermans, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aqua Man, Green Lantern, even Martian Manhunter J’onn J’onzz, after auditioning about 40 youngsters in synch for a franchise… and Brody won Flash. Four months later, everything was “tabled.” Dumped! By 2010, Miller had gone and who could blame him. Besides, he wanted to go to the Max again.

 

 

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  5