- Taylor Kinney, The Vampire Diaries, TV, 2010-2011. The Canadian hunk was selected for Brady (just two episodes) after auditioning for Mason Lockwood (who lasted nine)… and…
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Daniel Gillies, The Vampire Diaries, TV, 2010-2013. …and for Elijah, the best of the three characters – lasting 22 episodes.
- Liam McIntyre, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, TV, 2011. With the titular Andy Whitfield tragically struck down by cancer, the Starz company had two options: re-cast or end their hit series. The Canadian star of tv’s Arrow Amell was flown to New Zealand – with McIntyre and Aiden Turner – to test as the Thracian gladiator (and eventual freedom fighter) for the much delayed second season. McIntyre won the job after bulking up in “gladiator camp hell, plus 10.” “Andy’s Spartacus is always going to be Andy’s Spartacus,” he said. “I’d never try and emulate that. Or try to be him. I think that should stand alone as his legacy.”
- Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey, 2913.
Mark Wahlberg tried to buy the porno novel. Social networks were full of weird suggestions for the porn novel’s BDSM lover, Christian Grey. From Robert Pattinson, Matt Smith to Henry Cavill (well, S/M also stands for Superman) and Captain America Chris Evans (as if Marvel would allow that). None led to talks, auditions or tests. Because the suits had eyes only for Ryan Gosling. No way, said he. Most wise. Next target was Charlie Hunnam. He agreed and then suddenly quit because of his Sons of Anarchy, series (among other issues), and a second batch of front-runners were seen: Luke Bracey (the inevitable Aussie), Canadians Patrick J Adams and François Arnaud (well versed in jiggery-pokery as Cesare in The Borgias series), plus Scott Eastwood, Theo James, Billy Magnussen – and Alexander Skarsgård, playing Tarzan by then with an Anastasia Steele hopeful, Margot Robbie. (Hunnam had also been in the ape-man mix). The first group had been Amell (he preferred Oliver Queen, aka DC’s Arrow, TV 2012-2016), ex-UK model David Gandy (who simply refused), two other Brits, Christian Cooke (from Love, Rosie with London model Suki Waterhouse up for Anastasia) and Dominic Cooper (perfect, surely!), plus Aussie Daniel McPherson – and Santa Monica’s Ryan Paevey actually auditioned. And as for the Belgian hunk, Matthias Schoenaerts – he fell asleep reading the scenario. Oh, and author EL James vetoed any idea of of Dornan’s pal, Eddie Redmayne! They were all lucky to escape the turgid, totally un-erotic enterprise. Only 14 minutes and 17 seconds of sex, no orgasms – and pubes added digitally to actors’ genital patches!! And poor Dornan was a zero without his beard.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 4