Recalling ‘Shawshank’s’ casting woes
Writer and director Frank Darabont can be gracious about a movie like 1994’s “The Shawshank Redemption,” which has been ranked the No. 1 film of all-time by fans on IMDb since 2008.
But when Darabont made the nowbeloved prison drama starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, which premiered in theaters 25 years ago this week, the first-time director had his share of headaches.
Here are some of Darabont’s most memorable adventures:
Brad Pitt was set for key role
The young, hunky Pitt made a huge impression with Darabont while he was casting “Shawshank,” which came after Pitt had shot his role as the parole-violating robber J.D. who seduced Geena Davis’ Thelma in “Thelma & Louise.”
Darabont cast Pitt in what seemed to be the dramatically perfect followup as charmer Tommy Williams, a character who had been shuttled across 13 prisons for robbery in his short life.
The Tommy part is pivotal but small, coming late in the movie. As filming neared, Pitt’s fame exploded with “Thelma & Louise,” and Darabont says Pitt pulled out so he could star alongside Tom Cruise in 1994’s “Interview With the Vampire.”
“We didn’t know (Pitt) was going to skyrocket into super-stardom so quickly,” Darabont said. “When it came time to show up, suddenly they couldn’t follow through on their ‘yes.’ ”
“It would have been kind of cool to be in, but I’m not a regret guy in that way,” Pitt told USA TODAY. “I just believe in the way things work out, and that was someone else’s role.”
Gil Bellows was cast for the part of Tommy, and “enhanced the movie,” Darabont said. “Gil was so darn good.”
James Gandolfini was, too
The menacing role of prisoner Bogs Diamond was supposed to go to another “unknown dude” at the time, one James Gandolfini. When the stillstruggling, off-Broadway star read for Darabont, the director was “floored. I turned to my producer Niki Marvin and said, ‘Oh, yeah, let’s just offer him the role.’ ”
But shortly after accepting the job, Gandolfini pulled out for a bigger role as the thug Virgil in 1993’s “True Romance.”
“We said, of course, no hard feelings if he has a better thing to do, that’s going to serve his career better,” Darabont said.
During a new casting call, Darabont was thrilled to find Mark Rolston, who played Private Drake in 1986’s “Aliens,” in the hallway waiting to audition.
“I’m the biggest ‘Aliens’ fan there is. He had me at ‘hello,’ ” Darabont said.
Tom Cruise wanted to play Andy
The actor was eager to reunite with his “A Few Good Men” director Rob Reiner, and play unjustly imprisoned Andy Dufresne. When Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment agreed to produce Darabont’s screenplay, Cruise saw an opportunity.
Darabont says he was offered cash to allow Reiner to direct but turned it down.
Still, Cruise “was close” to playing Andy without Reiner, even attending a table read. But ultimately he pulled out.
“I think he was a bit nervous working for a first-time director. I don’t blame him for that,” Darabont said. “But he might have been too big for the movie I wanted to make.”