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Roxanne Hart, HIghlander, 1985. Some 16 guys were up for Christophe(r) Lambert’s immortal clansman, Connor McLeod. But as many as 24 women for Brenda Wyatt, the modern-day forensics cop bedded by him. Brooke Adams… who must have felt she had as great chance, having already successfully partnered Connery in The Great Train Robbery, 1978, and Cuba, 1979. Her rivals were Karen Allen, Rosanna Arquette, Jennifer Beals, Lorraine Bracco, Elisabeth Brooks, Kate Capshaw, Glenn Close, Lisa Eilbacher, Linda Florentino, Kim Greist (Terry Gilliam’s huge Brazil error), Linda Hamilton, Diane Lane, Carolyn McCormick, Demi Moore, Annette O’Toole, Elizabeth Perkins, Tanya Roberts (booked for 007’s View to a Kill), Annabella Sciorra, Diane Venora, Sela Ward, Sigourney Weaver and (phew!) Sean Young. Broadway’s rank outsider won!
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Marcia Gay Harden, Miller’s Crossing, 1990. The Coen brothers tackle 30s/40s, gangster noir… Their 1988 draft had Fiorentino, Kathy Borowitz, Linda Fiorentino, Laura Sametz and Diane Venora in mind for the gang boss’ moll, Verna. (He became Albert Finney). Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demi Moore, Julia Roberts, were later tested. But MGH was the best actress of them all. Only she and John Turturro actually played the roles suggested for them two years previously.
- Rene Russo, Freejack, 1991. Change of ex-lover for Emilio Estevez in a wonky science fiction effort about the future (2009!), stolen hook, line and stinker by Mick Jagger. In goofy mode. Or was it irony?
- Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct, 1991.
- Demi Moore, Indecent Proposal, 1993. The one where Robert Redford pays Woody Harrelsona $1m to schtup the missus… Linda has class anddumped it as fast asBasic Instinct.These things come in threes and so she gave in toJade. 1995. Or she did when the character was no longer a hooker.
- Kate Bosworth, Superman Returns, 2005.
- Sienna Miller, Factory Girl, 2006. Back in the 80s, the excellent Fiorentino was set for… well, not exactly this script, but the same tragic life of Andy Warhol “superstar” Edie Sedgwick. in the 80s, Warren Beatty tried to persuade director Bob Fosse to make the bio-pic with Michelle Pfeiffer (or Molly Ringwald) and Al Pacino as Warhol. Bio-wise, Fosse was satisfied with just one bio, his own, All That Jazz, 1979 – refused by both Beatty and Pacino. Mike Nichols and Natalie Portman also discussed a film about the poor little rich girl, then collaborated on Closer, instead. Vogue’s “youthquake” was dead at 28.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 7