David Tennant

Posted on by Tony CrawleyCategories:Actors

 

  1. Alan David, Doctor Who #159: The Unquiet Dead, TV, 2005.     A meeting of Doctors was avoided by ageism. Producer Russell T Davies wanted a younger Sneed – and the future Doc10 was pencilled in for the undertaker. Writer Mark Gatiss suggested going older with Alan opposite Doc9 Christopher Eccelston.
  2. Johnny Lee Miller, The Flying Scotsman, 2006.      Delayed shooting dates collided with Tennant’s schedule. A great pity as the Scot was rather more suited to the true tale – not of the celebrated  express train, but obsessve (indeed, depressive) Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree,  who built his own aerodynamic bike from bits of old washing machines, captured  the world hour record and the title stripped off him
  3. Andy Serkis, Burke and Hare, TV, 2009.    Doctor Who as grave-robber William Hare!  No way, said NBC. We want him in LA in case his pilot, Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, goes to series. It didn’t.   By which time Serkis was opposite Simon Pegg as his 1828 partner in 16 murders, when they worked out that supplying  fresher bodies tomedical researchers was easier than digging ‘em up! (I have to adfmit to being so old that I saw the original in 1971. Oh well, since you askewd, B&H were Derren Nesbitt and Glynn Edwards).
  4. James McAvoy, Arthur Christmas, 2010.  The Doctor was the original choice for clumsy Arthur, then Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg and…finally… another Scot.
  5.  Martin Freeman, The Hobbit trilogy, 2011-2012.
  6. Lee Pace, The Hobbit trilogy, 2011-2012.
  7. Julie Walters, Brave, 2012. With a year to go on his Doctor Who contract, Tennant must have been gobsmacked when asked to voice… The Witch! In the tale of Disney’s first Scottish princess. Two more BBC Scots – Richard Wilson and Annette Crosbie from the 1990-2001 One Foot in the Grave- were each offered the same rôle
  8. Bradley Cooper, Guardians of the Galaxy, 2013.    The most Lucasian of the Marvel films… H Jon Benjamin,  Jim Carrey, Sharlto Copley, Danny De Vito, Michael Rooker and  Adam Sandler were also short-listed to voice the “gnarled, miserable, angry” Rocket Raccoon. (Well, he is half-machine/half-raccoon).
  9. Luke Evans, Fast & Furious 6, 2013.   Doc10 and Jason Statham was also up for the best villain of the franchise.  The Welsh Evans was perfect, described by  US  critic Steven Boone as looking like the most  evil parts of Leonardo DiCaprio and Jude Law mashed together.  (Statham took over the role in  the succeeding chapter in 2014). 
  10. Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal, TV, 2013-2015.    As if he hadn’t been Doctor Who and everyone was talking about Broadchurch, Tennant had to audition for Hannibal Lecter…  Showrunner Bryan Fuller was so impressed, he wanted to write him a deranged guest killer. Wow!  Fuller also considered his Pushing Daisies star, Lee Pace – booked by Broadway.  So,  Hannibalia igoes on forever. First the 1986 movie, Manhunter, then 1990’s  far mode successful Silence of the Lambs, then the sequels, and now a series. What next? Hannibal In Space?
  11. James McAvoy, It Chapter Two, 2018.  At one time The Penguin, The Rock, Peter Quill, Harry Potter, Deadpool, The Green Hornet and Doctor Who were suggested for the adult Bill Denbrough – ie, Danny De Vito, Dwayne Johnson, Chris Pratt, Daniel Radcliffe, Ryan Reynolds, Seth Rogan, David Tennant. Also in the mix: Zac Efron, Will Ferrell, Sean Hayes, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Rogan and such off-the-wall outsiders as UK comics Russell Brand, James Corden, Eddie Izzard and Matt Lucas!  McAvoy was the real McCoy – and one of the biggest Stephen King fans around. Bill Skarsgård had more fun as Pennywise this time.  No literal nightmares about fighting the clown, no kid actors scared by him in scenes, his five-hour make-up cut by half  and less dialogue…  in the 262nd of King’s staggering 313 screen credits. (King Kameo: Pawnbroker).

                                                                    Notes>>>>>>>>>>>>

Watching  the latest final cut of Apocalypse Now  (that will be the day!) in 2019,  I was struck  by how much Martin Sheen resembled David Tennant. Never noticed it before becuse the Scot  was  unknown at the time of the first and second cuts…   He studied acting at ?????? and ovbioulsyly spent time at the Sheen Acting Academy. Wonder how many times he watched Apocalypse.  Not that there ‘s anything wrong with that. Look at the actors influenced by Brando.

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  11