Paul Simon’s Unlikely Casting Dilemma: Why Richard Dreyfuss Was Ruled Out

Paul Simon’s creative journey has rarely been straightforward, especially when it comes to collaboration. His longstanding partnership with Art Garfunkel was often marked by tension, and even his solo ventures were not immune to the odd disagreement or painstaking search for the perfect take. As Simon’s career progressed, he found himself increasingly drawn to new artistic challenges, particularly as the familiar routines of recording began to lose their appeal.

After several successful records, Simon recognised the risk of creative stagnation. Rather than repeating the same formula, he decided to branch out, inspired in part by Garfunkel’s own foray into acting. Simon set his sights on writing music for a film, envisioning a project with more substance than the typical musician-led vanity piece. The result was the concept for One Trick Pony, a film that aimed to blend narrative depth with musical authenticity.

Seeking the Right Voice for the Screen

One of the central challenges Simon faced was finding someone to convincingly perform his songs on screen. While he was no stranger to appearing before the camera—his Saturday Night Live appearances had proven his comfort in the spotlight—he felt it was more fitting for the film’s characters to be brought to life by professional actors. The task, then, was to identify someone who could do justice to his music, even if only through lip-syncing.

Among the actors considered was Richard Dreyfuss, whose reputation and distinctive voice made him a compelling candidate. However, Simon quickly realised that Dreyfuss’s vocal qualities were entirely unsuited to the material. As Simon put it,

“At one point, Richard Dreyfuss and I talked about it. It couldn’t be done. It would have been insurmountable, because I had to give the soundtrack to Warner Bros., and there was no way I could have Richard Dreyfuss singing on it. There was no way Dreyfuss could be in the movie and open his mouth and have my voice come out. It would be funny.”

The Problem of Believability

Simon’s concern was not simply about technical ability. The prospect of Dreyfuss miming to Simon’s vocals would have stretched the audience’s suspension of disbelief to breaking point. The mismatch between Dreyfuss’s persona and Simon’s musical style would have been glaring, risking unintentional comedy rather than the emotional resonance Simon sought.

Such issues were not without precedent. Simon referenced the awkwardness of Jack Nicholson’s turn in Tommy, where the actor’s attempt at singing ‘Go to the Mirror’ was, to put it mildly, less than convincing. Simon was determined to avoid a similar misstep, preferring to maintain the integrity of his work even if it meant passing over high-profile talent.

Sticking to Artistic Principles

For Simon, the process of making a film was fundamentally different from recording an album, yet his commitment to quality remained unchanged. He was unwilling to compromise, even if it meant forgoing the involvement of celebrated figures from the world of music or film. The goal was always to create something with genuine impact, rather than settling for a convenient but ultimately unsatisfying solution.

In the end, Simon’s insistence on authenticity shaped the direction of the project, ensuring that the final product reflected his artistic vision rather than the limitations of any particular performer.