Shocking Secrets Unveiled: The Real Reasons Why These 10 TV Actors Never Made It to the Screen!
Discover the surprising stories behind 10 TV actors who were unexpectedly fired from major roles before filming began From Lisa Kudrow in Frasier to Cress Williams in Will & Grace, delve into the reasons that led to their unexpected departures
Summary
Lisa Kudrow was fired from Frasier and replaced by Peri Gilpin after producers realized she wasn't right for the part during filming.
Alex Borstein initially filmed the pilot episode of Gilmore Girls but had to leave the show due to contractual issues. However, she later made a comeback to portray various other characters.
Initially, John Posey portrayed the character of Danny Tanner in Full House. However, he was eventually let go when Bob Saget became available. Saget was the original choice of the producers for the role.
Television show producers, writers, and directors often find it difficult to determine if an actor is suitable for a role until they witness their performance on set. Sadly, for these ten performers, their initial performances did not meet the filmmakers' expectations, resulting in their dismissal and the subsequent recasting of their roles. Various reasons contributed to the termination of their contracts, such as a lack of chemistry with the cast members or the producers' desire to take the character in a different direction. Regardless of the circumstances, the original actors' departure significantly altered the trajectory of these ten television series.
Television networks have a practice of commissioning pilot episodes for potential shows that are pitched to them each year. A complete first episode is filmed by the cast and crew, which is then presented to the network executives for evaluation. Based on their assessment, the network decides whether to proceed with the series, granting it additional episodes to air during the upcoming season. However, during this process, those in charge sometimes have a change of heart regarding a specific actor and opt to recast their role.
10 Lisa Kudrow In Frasier
9 Alex Borstein In Gilmore Girls
Lisa Kudrow was initially cast as Roz Doyle in the NBC sitcom Frasier. However, during the filming of the pilot episode, the producers realized that Kudrow was not suitable for the role. In particular, when she acted opposite Kelsey Grammer in the Lupe Vélez scene, it became clear that Kudrow was not the right fit for Frasier. As a result, the producers made the decision to let go of Kudrow and recast the role, ultimately replacing her with Peri Gilpin as Roz. Although being fired from the Cheers spinoff must have been devastating for Kudrow at the time (1993), it turned out to be for the best. She soon landed the iconic role of Phoebe Buffay in Friends in 1994, which later earned her an Emmy Award.
Prior to Melissa McCarthy securing the role of Sookie St. James in Gilmore Girls, the character was initially assigned to Alex Borstein, known for her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Borstein filmed the unaired pilot of the WB drama series but ultimately had to depart from the show due to contractual complications. Nevertheless, she returned to Gilmore Girls, taking on the roles of Drella, Miss Celine, and Doris throughout the series. Adding to the intrigue, Borstein's former spouse, Jackson Douglas, actually portrayed Sookie's husband, Jackson Belleville, in Gilmore Girls.
8 Richard Kiel In The Incredible Hulk
7 Jenna Fischer In Man With A Plan
Imagine a world where the role of the titular character in The Incredible Hulk was not portrayed by Lou Ferrigno, but instead by Richard Kiel. Surprisingly, Kiel was originally cast for the part and even commenced filming the 1978 television series. However, during the production of the first episode, the producers determined that Kiel, although towering at over seven feet tall, did not possess the desired bulk to embody the Hulk. As a consequence, they made the decision to dismiss Kiel from the role and recruited Ferrigno to fill his shoes.
After her successful stint as Pam Beesly in The Office, Jenna Fischer aimed to make a comeback in the world of sitcoms and secured the role of Andi Burns in Man With a Plan. Unfortunately, despite filming the pilot, test audiences didn't resonate with Fischer's on-screen chemistry with Matt LeBlanc, who portrayed Andi's husband, Adam Burns. As a result, Fischer was let go, and Liza Snyder stepped in to take on the role of Andi in the CBS TV series.
6 Rachel Dratch In 30 Rock
Jane Krakowski was the perfect embodiment of Jenna Maroney in 30 Rock, making it even more shocking that Rachel Dratch, an SNL veteran, was originally set to play the role. Dratch filmed the pilot as Jenna (then known as DeCarlo), but after reviewing the footage, the producers decided to take the character in a different direction. Consequently, the 30 Rock writers reimagined Jenna's character and offered the part to Krakowski. However, this wasn't the end of Dratch's involvement with 30 Rock, as she returned to portray various roles throughout the show's seven seasons.
5 Stephen Tobolowsky In Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Although Ken Lerner is recognized for his portrayal of Principal Flutie in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it is important to note that he was not the original actor cast for the character. Initially, Stephen Tobolowsky was chosen for the role and even appeared in the unaired pilot. However, due to contractual complications, Tobolowsky was ultimately released from the show. Fortunately, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise because (spoiler alert) Principal Flutie met an untimely demise early on in season 1.
4 Nicholas Gonzalez In Lucifer
3 John Posey In Full House
After Nicholas Gonzalez played the character of Dan Espinoza in the pilot, Kevin Alejandro took over the role in Lucifer. The writers and producers decided to recast the part after watching Gonzalez's performance in the first episode, leading to Alejandro's entry. Despite being replaced, Gonzalez's career flourished as he went on to star in popular shows such as Pretty Little Liars, How to Get Away with Murder, The Good Doctor, and La Brea, proving that his departure from Lucifer did not hinder his success.
Contrary to popular belief, Bob Saget almost missed out on playing Danny Tanner in the hit show Full House. In fact, it was John Posey who was originally chosen to portray the head of the Tanner household in the unaired pilot of the ABC sitcom. However, Posey was eventually let go once Saget became free for the role. The producers had always envisioned Saget in the role of Danny, but unfortunately, he was tied up with The Morning Program at the time. As a result, Posey was brought on board. Nevertheless, when The Morning Program was ultimately canceled, the Full House producers swiftly recast Danny and replaced Posey with Saget.
2 Riff Regan In Buffy The Vampire Slayer
1 Cress Williams In Will & Grace
The character of Willow Rosenberg in Buffy the Vampire Slayer went through a recasting process after the unaired pilot episode. Riff Regan was initially chosen to portray Willow, but the producers concluded that she was not suitable for the role. As a result, when the WB decided to continue the show with more episodes, they made the decision to recast the character. Alyson Hannigan was eventually brought on board, and it is now difficult to envision anyone else portraying Willow in this immensely popular supernatural series.
Cress Williams was the only actor in the cast of Will & Grace whose character did not undergo any recasting. However, the producers took a different approach and completely removed his role from the series. Initially, Williams portrayed Will Truman's partner at the law firm, originally intended to be one of the five main characters. Unfortunately, after just a few days of filming the pilot, director James Burrows made the decision to reduce the number of characters to four. Consequently, Williams was let go, and his character was eliminated from the show.
