Why Paul Newman Was Sidelined from a Landmark Oscar Film
Paul Newman was set to star in a major 1970s film, but a director’s bold casting choice changed Hollywood history and led to a record-breaking Oscar win.
During the 1970s, Paul Newman stood as one of the most recognisable faces in the film industry, his name alone enough to draw crowds and lend any project a certain gravitas. By then, he’d already racked up a string of acclaimed performances and several Academy Award nods, making him a fixture in both critical and commercial circles. It would seem, then, that any director would leap at the chance to have him front their next big project. Yet, in a twist that would alter the course of a now-iconic film, Newman found himself quietly replaced before cameras even rolled.
The story begins with Paramount’s acquisition of Joe David Brown’s novel, Addie Pray, which was soon retitled Paper Moon. John Huston, fresh from collaborating with Newman on The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, was initially tapped to direct. Huston’s vision involved reuniting with Newman, casting him as Moses Pray, and bringing in Newman’s daughter, Elinor (known professionally as Nel Potts), to play Addie Loggins. The idea of a father-daughter duo on screen, especially with their previous minor collaborations, seemed a natural fit. Alvin Sargent, who had scripted Marigolds, was already at work on the adaptation.
Changing of the Guard
However, plans shifted when Huston exited the project. Enter Peter Bogdanovich, a director with his own ideas about casting. Bogdanovich, upon taking the helm, was less than enthusiastic about the prospect of working with two generations of Newmans. He later remarked to Alex Simon,
“I think it’s the best work Ryan O’Neal’s done. That wonderful laugh he came up with, that cackle, was just wonderful. Paramount owned the property originally and had John Huston lined up to direct with Paul Newman and his daughter to star. Then they wanted me to direct, but I didn’t particularly want to do it with Paul. I wanted to do it with Ryan, so that’s what happened.”
His preference was clear: Ryan O’Neal, not Paul Newman, would take the lead. The studio acquiesced, and the Newmans were quietly shown the door.
Behind Closed Doors
What went on in those private discussions remains largely unspoken. Newman, never one to air grievances in public, kept his thoughts to himself. The decision, though, was more than a simple casting swap. Had things gone differently, it might have been Nell Newman, not Tatum O’Neal, stepping into the spotlight. Instead, the O’Neals took centre stage, and the film’s fortunes soared.
Paper Moon would go on to become a box office sensation, earning back its budget many times over. More significantly, Tatum O’Neal’s performance as Addie Loggins captured the attention of the Academy, making her the youngest recipient of a competitive acting Oscar. The ripple effect of Bogdanovich’s casting call was felt not just in Hollywood’s boardrooms, but on the grandest stage of all.
What Might Have Been
For Paul Newman, the episode was a rare instance of being passed over at the height of his powers. The film’s success and Tatum’s historic win only underscored the magnitude of the director’s gamble. Had the original plan held, the legacy of both the film and the Newman family might have looked rather different. Instead, a single decision behind the scenes reshaped the destinies of all involved, leaving audiences to wonder what might have been if the cards had fallen another way.