- Mykeltie Williamson, Forrest Gump, 1994. The comic held his nose – he thought it would be a stinker. Then really pissed in his soup by sending up the Bubba character in the not-so-funny Undercover Brothers, 2002. Then again, Ice Cube, David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy (way too gigantic for such a support role), Chris Rock and Tupac Shakur also passed. Hanks heard how Chapelle regretted refusing Bubba and asked the stand-up to be his buddy in You’ve Got Mail, 1998. And that’s all I have to say about that…
- Paul Rudd, Clueless, 1994. The comic had talks about Josh – step-brother of Alicia Silverstone’s teen queen in the Beverly Hills flip-side of director Amy Heckerling’s Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He missed a treat. “A smart and funny movie,” said Chicago critic Roger Ebert, ”and the characters are in on the joke.”
- Chris Tucker, Rush Hour, 1998. The spec script by novelist Ross LaManna in 1995 was first aimed at two black cops, Martin Lawrence – and stand-up Chappelle as Detective James Carter. Then, black and white with Lawrence and Chris Farley (who ODed at 33 in 1997). Next Carters included Eddie Murphy, Tupac Shakur and Will Smith. Disney hated director Brett Ratner’s final Asian/black duo – Jackie Chan, Chris Rock – and the $33m project moved to New Line. And global glory: $244,386, 864. Sorry about that, Disney.
- Will Smith, Hancock, 2008. The favourite comic of Conan O’Brien and Howard Sternwas a shoo-in for the out of favour superhero but once the summertime box-office king started taking a peak, it was all over for Dave.
- Michael Peña, Tower Heist, 2010. In talks about Enrique De’Reaux when the leading man Eddie Murphy’s plan was an African American Ocean’s Eleven – with Chappelle, Mike Epps, Martin Lawrence, Katt Williams… and Chris x 2 = Rock and Tucker. All that changed when Ben Stiller took the lead for $15m… double Murphy’s pay-cheque. Times had changed
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 5