Hollywood casting has been the constant thorn in any fandom. The idea that Hollywood could find a very specific actor that can play a very specific role is just too much for any fandom to accept. When done correctly you get legendary performance such as the great late Marlon Brando’s iconic performance as Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather. On the other hand, you can also end up with Matt Damon rescuing China in The Great Wall. So for this list let’s take a look at the Top 5 strangest casting calls of all time. Now for this list, I am not saying that these performances were bad, a few of these are amazing and one is considered legendary. It is just that for the time these choices were seen as strange. Let’s get started.
5. Jack Nicholson / Jack Torrance
Movie: The Shinning (1980)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZspM1JrOmA8
The Shinning is one of the greatest horror movies of all time and Jack Nicholson’s performance still takes the crown as the best performance of his career. The real story, however, is behind the scenes. The Shinning is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Shinning. As the author of the book, Stephen King was aware of Stanley Kubrick’s desire to cast Jack Nicholson. Now when a fandom gets mad about casting that is one thing, it is another when the author himself doesn’t approve of the casting. Jack Torrance in the book is portrayed as an everyman whose looks don’t really stand out, and It is the hotel itself that makes him go mad. Jack Nicholson is known for his over the top persona and his looks really do conflict with Stephen King’s original vision. Despite the strange casting, Jack Nicholson’s performance is legendary, and Stanley Kubrick’s decision cemented him as one of the greatest directors of all time.
