- Geoffrey Rush, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, 2004. One clever comic playing another… It wouldn’t have worked. But then, neither did Rush.
- Taron Egerton, Eddie The Eagle, 2015. “Coogan isn’t the right age,” said the real Eddie Edwards in 2011. “The film is going to be about a little window of my life when I was 24 – he’s in his 40s. But he’s a great sitcom comedian, which is what I wanted.” Like Robin Williams, Coogan was far too old, but, er, local, for plasterer Edwards, more ski-ing chump than champ, an abject failure (therefore, a British hero!) at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. “He’s quirky, dysfunctional, slightly nerdy,” said Coogan, “but his balls must be made of titanium.” Said Eddie: “I’ve been called worse.” Over the (many) years, potential Eddies also included Martin Freeman, James McAvoy, Kris Marshall and (closer to Eddie’s age) Harry Potter star Rupert Grint. Then, Kingsman was made. And so was Egerton.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2