“He’s Never Going To Cast Me When Everyone Is After The Part“. Johnny Depp Almost Didn't Star In The 90s Hit Because He Was Afraid To Compete With Tom Hanks And Tom Cruise
Edward Scissorhands without Johnny Depp? It's hard to imagine now, but it was a possibility when casting was underway for the lead role in Tim Burton's movie.
When we think of the movie Edward Scissorhands, it's hard to imagine anyone other than Johnny Depp in the title role. The actor made it his own, showing the audience a brilliant performance of the main character. But it could have ended up that Edward would have been played by someone else.
Why? Because there was a moment when Johnny Depp wanted to withdraw from casting. It took place just when the artist was making attempts so that people would no longer see him as a TV actor. He wanted to try other things, but at the same time he was accompanied by the belief that his role in 21 Jump Street might have pigeonholed him, so when he learned that Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Michael Jackson were also interested in the role in Edward Scissorhands, he wanted out. He talked about it in Tara Wood's yet untitled documentary about Tim Burton, People reported.
As the actor confessed, the role of Edward Scissorhands was a dream role for him. He thought it was perfect for him, but he was still afraid to compete with movie stars for it, because it seemed to him that Burton is “never going to cast him when everyone in Hollywood is after the part.”
So I called my agent after reading the script and said, “Please cancel the meeting, I’m not going.” She said, „Are you fucking nuts?”
It was weird because there’s always that bastard in your skull that goes: “Come on, man. You’re a TV actor guy.” Because at that time it was almost either-or.
Johnny Depp, however, did not give in to his own fears and eventually met with Tim Burton, and this meeting, as we all know very well by now, resulted in the lead role in Edward Scissorhands. Despite a lot of competition, it fell to Depp, and rightly so, because he proved that it was perfect for him, and his performance became unforgettable.
But can you imagine Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise or Michael Jackson in the role of Edward Scissorhands?
