- Willem Dafoe, The Last Temptation of Christ, 1988. Aidan had starved himself to play Christ. The sets, shoes and costumes were all made. Then, Paramount pulled the plug in 1983. (Paramount doesn’t waste money, so the shoes were worn by Richard Gere & Coin the studio’s King David, 1985). Four years later, Quinn was stuck in the Seychelles, playing another thin hero, Robinson Crusoe, when director Martin Scorsese won new backing… and a new Jesus. “The minute I saw Willem, I felt very comfortable withhis face.”
- James Spader, sex, lies and videotape, 1989. Passed. And Spader won Best Actor at Cannes
- Liam Neeson, Ethan Frome, 1992. Four days after completing Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives, Neeson aged 35 years for the Edith Wharton story.
- Sebastian Roche, Household Saints, 1992. Although a mere cameo role, this was the second time Aidan lost out on being Christ.
- Gary Oldman, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 1992. Director Francis Coppola decided to make the old legend “younger, very erotic, very romantic and very horrific.” Losing his favourites – Jeremy Irons, Daniel Day-Lewis – Francey looked at everyone else, mainly during auditions at his Napa Valley estate… Quinn, Armand Assante, Antonio Banderas, Nick Cassavetes, Nicolas Cage, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Andy Garcia, Hugh Grant, Ray Liotta, Kyle MacLachlan, Viggo Mortensen, Dermot Mulroney, Michael Nouri (a long way from Flashdance), Adrian Pasdar, Jason Patric, Keanu Reeves, Alan Rickman, Christian Slater and Sting.
- Tim Roth, Bodies, Rest And Motion, 1993. Announced in July 1992. Aidan quit to join Benny & Joon.
- Paul McGann, Doctor Who (The Movie), TV, 1996.
- David Thewlis, Veronika Decides To Die, 2008.Change of Dr Blake – already changed from Dr Igor in Paulo Coelho’s novel.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 8