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Vin Diesel, The Iron Giant, 1998. First planned as a filmusical, based on Pete Townshend’s concept album, inspired in turn by UK poet Ted Hughes’ book, Brad Bird’s toon won the best reviews and worst audience of 1999. Cullen (Transformers), Sean Connery, James Earl Jones, Frank Welker (Aladdin) were up for the giant robot’s voice. Montana’s Bird went on to Disney, directing The Incredibles, Ratatoulle – with time off for helming Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
- Jess Harnell, Transformers, 2006. Having voiced the Ironhide during The Transformers TV series, 1984-1987, the Canadian tried for a reprise in the first movie. However, director Michael Bay chose Harnell for the autobot and invited Cullen to please the fans by returning to his other TV role – Optimus Prime. Rerprising his trademark line (“Freedom is the right of all sentient beings”) was, said Cullen, “like slipping into an old pair of very comfortable shoes that you haven’t worn for a while.”
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2