Ben Stiller's Career 'What Ifs': The Two Movies He Missed Out On
Even Hollywood A-listers have moments they'd rather forget. Ben Stiller recently opened up about two major auditions from his past that didn't go as planned. Discover the career-defining roles that slipped through his fingers and how his path could have been completely different.
With the massive success of the show Severance, audiences are finally seeing Ben Stiller as more than just a funnyman. For years, he made audiences roar with laughter, but now he's prompting deep thought as a director. As his work behind the camera takes the spotlight, it’s easy to forget the long list of fantastic acting jobs on his resume. It's just as easy to forget about the parts that he didn't land.
A History of Near Misses
In an early version of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Stiller was in the running for the role of Brian Fantana. While Paul Rudd ultimately secured the part, Stiller still managed to appear in the beloved 2000s comedy with a memorable cameo in the epic 'News Fight' sequence. He was also close to nabbing two other Will Ferrell projects, Blades of Glory and Megamind. In another alternate timeline, he was even a contender to play Willy Wonka in Tim Burton’s take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a casting choice that would have been truly unique.
A Candid Confession
During a conversation with The Guardian, the actor inadvertently revealed two other films that could have featured his name in the credits. He reflected on his good fortune before letting the details slip.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have a successful career, and I have incredible family and people I love and friends. 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? I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that to anyone.
The Roles That Got Away
Of the two movies Stiller brought up, My Cousin Vinny is certainly the more widely known. The film is a legal comedy classic, starring Joe Pesci as a city lawyer navigating a case in a small, rural community. Stiller was being looked at for one of the students Vinny defends. However, the filmmakers decided it was too problematic to show a Jewish actor being treated unfairly by a Southern court. Will Smith was also considered for the other student but was passed over for similar reasons.
White Palace was a completely different kind of film. This steamy drama featured Susan Sarandon as a middle-aged woman in a go-nowhere job who begins a passionate affair with a younger man, played by James Spader, who is mourning the recent loss of his wife. Stiller was auditioning for Spader's part but got overwhelmed by nerves. Landing this role would have been a game-changer for him, as he had not yet made his mark as a comedy superstar. Instead, another member of the ‘Frat Pack’ got the job.