- Christopher Eccelston, Shallow Grave, 1994.The Scot was offered David and the following year Eccleston was offered Carlyle’s Begbie in Trainspotting. Many Grave props and clothes had to be sold off to buy actual film stock!
- David Thewlis, Divorcing Jack, 1998. Carlyle was ready for the off as Starkey. The off was then offed until a date that did not suit his diary.
- Christopher Eccleston, 28 Days Later, 2002. Naturally, director Danny Boyle wanted one of his Shallow Grave/Trainspotting teams – to be Major Henry West.Carlyle headed up the 2006 sequel, 28 Weeks Later.
- Ellen Burstyn, The Wicker Man, 2006. Another “re-imagining,” first planned with Liam Neesion (not Nic Cage) as the dullard cop.
- William Dafoe, Go Go Tales,Italy-US, 2006. For what the exiled director called his “first intentional comedy,” Abel Ferrera wanted Carlyle and Gary Oldman as the brothers Ruby – a hairdresser and a tawdry club owner – in a New York made in Cinecitta and overly inspired by John Cassavetes’ Killing of a Chinese Bookie.
- Willem Dafoe, Go Go Tales, 2007. Caryle andf Gary Oldman came and went leaving Dafoe as a bizarre selection for the screwball accountant of the owner of a Manhattan dance club. Well, he had justfinishedMr Bean’s Holiday.
- Matt Smith, Doctor Who, TV, 2010.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 7