The Surprising Celebrity Cameo That Almost Made It into Gen V Instead of Soldier Boy

Warning: The article contains SPOILERS for Gen V episode 6, "Jumanji."

Summary

Taylor Lautner was almost chosen for Soldier Boy's amusing appearance in episode 6 of Gen V. In this version, he would have portrayed a guide in Cate's mind before meeting a comical demise. Despite the actor switch, the character's destiny would have preserved, as Lautner's portrayal would also result in the same fate.

The decision to cast Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy for the spinoff provided an entertaining and clever way to introduce the character. While Soldier Boy was not originally the first choice for Gen V's hilarious episode 6 cameo, another familiar face was initially considered. Soldier Boy, played by Jensen Ackles, appears in a self-contained installment within Cate's memories. He quickly and completely NSFW cameo, presenting himself as Cate's imaginary friend from her childhood and assisting the group in navigating their way out of her memories.

In an interview with Variety discussing Gen V episode 6, executive producer Eric Kripke and co-showrunner Michele Fazekas unveil that Soldier Boy's cameo in the episode was originally intended for Taylor Lautner. Kripke, the creator of The Boys TV show, jokingly mentions why Lautner's cameo didn't come to fruition, while Fazekas confirms the fate that Lautner's character would have had. Here are their quotes:

Eric Kripke: In the early versions of the script, there was a character meant to appear in Cate's imagination, who would explain a few rules and then explode. If I recall correctly, Taylor Lautner was initially considered for this role. The characters would be walking through the woods, and then they would come across him, and be like, "Taylor Lautner?!" And he would respond, "Yep, I'm Cate's crush! Cate used to fantasize about me. Anyway, here are the rules." And then he would explode.

Michelle Fazekas mentioned that the character had died in the same manner as before. Kripke added that the scene involving the character's death was shorter and he couldn't recall if they had shown his demise or if he simply passed away immediately. They were faced with the question of how to include Soldier Boy in the spinoff, as they had always wanted to do so. Finding a suitable role for him was a challenge, considering he was technically unconscious in a CIA basement. However, they deemed this approach to be clever and enjoyable in bringing him back into the story.

Taylor Lautner's Scrapped Gen V Cameo Would’ve Been Great

Ackles' NSFW cameo received widespread praise, with some social media users even playfully suggesting a Soldier Boy spinoff. It would have been amusing to see Lautner make a cameo as a playful nod to the early 2010s era, which was when Cate grew up. During that time, Lautner, along with his Twilight co-stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, was one of the biggest global stars. After the Twilight series ended, Lautner took a step back from acting, except for a few television appearances in the British comedy Cuckoo and Ryan Murphy's Scream Queens. He also worked on smaller films that were released around the same time as Twilight.

In the past year, Lautner has made a bit of a comeback, appearing in the supporting role of the Netflix film Home Team and giving more interviews about his time away from the entertainment industry. However, his absence would have added a lot to Gen V, potentially leading to a sense of nostalgia for those who had followed Lautner a decade ago. It would have been in line with The Boys' previous use of celebrity cameos as well.

Lautner, who recently featured in Taylor Swift's music video for "I Can See You Now," doesn't shy away from making fun of his public image and taking on unexpected roles. This was evident in his appearances in Cuckoo and Scream Queens to some extent. Therefore, he would have been a perfect fit for Gen V.

Source: Variety