Did Christopher Lloyd Turn Down A Role In Martin Scorsese's 'The Last Temptation Of Christ'?

News

by Kevin Jagernauth
October 13, 2012 11:42 AM
2 Comments

Film history is littered with incarnations of movies that could've been made under a different situation with an entirely different cast, but for various reasons just didn't work out. Just look at Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" which at one point was gearing up to go with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jeremy Renner in the leads, with Reese Witherspoon apparently offered a role (mostly likely the part eventually played by Amy Adams) with Amanda Seyfried, Emma Stone and Deborah Ann Woll all being considered for the smaller role of Elizabeth in the picture. And while Anderson eventually re-mounted the picture that we know today, it's interesting to imagine what might have been. And now there's another similar little morsel to ponder over.

New York Comic Con is in full swing and Christopher Lloyd was on hand to do a Q&A. When asked about this biggest regret, Lloyd says he once turned down a role in a "religious" film by Martin Scorsese. "...what was I doing?" he said. "This is the guy who uses the same actors over and over again. That was a severe career mistake."

Could he have been talking about "The Last Temptation Of Christ"? We're not sure what other movie it could have been (we're guessing it's not "Kundun"), and the movie certainly had its fair share of... unconventional casting, including David Bowie as Pontius Pilate (in a role originally offered to Sting) and John Lurie as James The Apostle (not to mention at one point Scorsese had Vanity slotted to play Mary Magdalane before Barbara Hershey came aboard). It's not clear what role Lloyd would have taken, but it's not like he was lacking in material. In the same year 'Temptation' came out, Lloyd appeared in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" and "Eight Men Out." Not bad. [Hollywood]

News

More: Christopher Lloyd, Martin Scorsese, The Last Temptation Of Christ

2 Comments

| Reply
DHE | October 13, 2012 12:31 PMReply

I always wondered what the film could have been with Aidan Quinn or DeNiro
derek | October 13, 2012 12:28 PMReply

What a blessing for The Master that Renner dropped out and Phoenix came back from "retirement".