Michael Phelps

  1. Alexander Skarsgård, The Legend of Tarzan, 2014.     The  Maryland aqua-champ or a Stockholm  hunk…?   Warner Bros was keen on Brits like Henry Cavill, already the studio’s Superman and Napoleon Solo (and a lot of good that did him!), Tom Hardy and Charlie Hunnam. Plus, in the hallowed Olympic tradition of the great Johnny Weissmuller (during 1932-1942) and passable Buster Crabbe (1933),  history’s most decorated Olympian – with 28 medals… 23 golds! – from five Games, during 2000-2016! Yes, Phelps made the others look like French fries… but Tarzan is supposed to do more than just swim.  Watching a tape of him hosting Saturday Night Live, the producer Jerry Weintraub couldn’t believe his eyes – or ears. “This isn’t Tarzan! He’s a goon! Why didn’t anyone tell me he’s a goon? Turn it off. Goddammit, turn it off.”  As knew well… The ape-man is the Skarsgård family’s hero. Poppa Stellan showed the Weissmuller films to his seven sons. Alexander is the oldest, and hoped the youngest, Kolbjörn, would not consider him “a shit Tarzan”! He had to wait until the delayed 2016 summer release to find out  the bitter truth.

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  1