Casting What-Ifs
Vince Vaughn pushed for Justin Long as Todd, who auditioned as Buffalo Bill; Will Ferrell turned down John Beckwith for a smaller role; Jane Seymour beat out Raquel Welch; Nicolas Cage was the backup for the Will Ferrell part
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:59:01Read transcript
- Keir O'Donnell won Todd, but Vince Vaughn really pushed for Justin Long, whose interpretation of the character was Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs and who thought he had the job; the hosts call it a phenomenal what-if that would have made the character more acceptable by being so ridiculous, instead of a gay art school kid who is also a psycho and is mocked homophobically by his grandmother.
- The black sheep character can be awesome, with Spalding in Caddyshack (as transcribed) the greatest example, and Christopher Walken himself played one as the brother in the Minnesota scene of Annie Hall.
- Will Ferrell was offered John Beckwith, the Owen Wilson role, and turned it down for a smaller role, which the hosts are glad about because of Chaz; Jane Seymour beat out Raquel Welch.
- Asked whether he would rather have had Raquel Welch, the answer is that it is hard to see anybody but Jane Seymour in the role now, and he loves her. — Chris Ryan
- Seymour was great stunt casting after Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman; Nicolas Cage was the next call after Ferrell's no, which the hosts would like to see, though Cage reportedly gets called for parts like this and it never quite comes off, as in a Seth Rogen story, because he still thinks it is 1999 and must be the star, with tax liens against his Scottish castles.