Ben Stiller’s Missed Roles: Two Auditions He’ll Never Forget
Ben Stiller opens up about two major film roles he lost after freezing during auditions, reflecting on how these missed chances might have altered his path.
With the recent acclaim for Severance, audiences have started to appreciate Ben Stiller as more than a comic performer. His shift into directing has brought a new dimension to his career, but it’s easy to overlook the breadth of his acting work over the years. Equally, it’s just as simple to forget the opportunities that slipped through his fingers along the way.
Stiller was once in the running for Brian Fantana in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a part that ultimately went to Paul Rudd. He did, however, manage a memorable cameo in the film’s infamous ‘News Fight’ sequence. There were other near-misses too: he was considered for roles in Blades of Glory and Megamind, both of which ended up with Will Ferrell, and he was even eyed for Willy Wonka in Tim Burton’s take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That would have been quite a sight.
Auditions That Got Away
During a conversation with The Guardian, Stiller inadvertently revealed two more films he nearly joined.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a successful career, and I have incredible family and people I love and friends,”
he admitted.
“All these wonderful things that help offset the pain of the failures. But what if I didn’t have that? What if I didn’t have something that could take my mind off the time I screwed up that audition for My Cousin Vinny back in 1993, or my fourth callback for White Palace with Susan Sarandon, where I just froze up?”
He paused, then added,
“I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that to anyone.”
My Cousin Vinny: The One That Got Away
Of the two, My Cousin Vinny is the more widely recognised. The legal comedy, laced with social commentary, stars Joe Pesci as a city lawyer out of his depth in a rural courtroom. Stiller was considered for the role of one of the students defended by Vinny, but the idea of casting a Jewish actor as a victim of Southern prejudice was seen as too controversial at the time. Will Smith was also in the frame for the other student, but he too was passed over for similar reasons.
White Palace: A Missed Turning Point
White Palace, on the other hand, is a different proposition. The film features Susan Sarandon as a woman stuck in a dead-end job, who embarks on a relationship with a younger man, played by James Spader, still mourning his late wife. Stiller auditioned for Spader’s role but found himself paralysed by nerves. At that stage, he had yet to make his name in comedy, and landing the part could have changed everything. Instead, the opportunity went to another member of the so-called ‘Frat Pack’.
Given the success Stiller has enjoyed, it’s hard to feel too sorry for him. Still, it’s intriguing to imagine how things might have unfolded had he landed either of those parts.