#Trivia: The Alternate cast of Shawshank Redemption

Posted by : Amrit Friday, 4 October 2013

The Shawshank Redemption, a movie which finds its place in almost every movie enthusiast's list of greatest films. Among many other important depiction of human emotions, it showed the friendship of two prisoners over a time period of almost 2 decades; Andy and Red. The supporting characters included Heywood, Lloyd, Brooks and Tommy. There was a great equation among these characters. However these characters could be completely different, if the actors who were first approached agreed to portray these characters .

Let’s start with Andy; this role was offered to Tom Hanks and Kevin Costner but they couldn't do it because of issues with the dates. Though Tom Hanks went on to win the best actor in a leading role at the Academy Awards for playing Forrest Gump, Kevin Costner strongly regret his decision for turning down the character of Andy Dufresne. Not only the two, even Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Charlie Sheen and Nicolas Cage were considered for the part of Andy Dufresne which finally went to Tim Robbins.

Red; the role for Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding was determined to go to Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Paul Newman or Robert Redford. In the Stephen King's book, Red was a white Irishman, so it was meant to be played by a white skinned actor in the first place, but director Frank Darabont wanted to cast only Morgan Freeman as Red.

Frank Darabont made sure that his favorite character actor James Whitmore must get a role in this film, so he asked him to do the role for Brooks. The role for the character Tommy Williams played by Gil Bellows was first going to Brad Pitt. Though this character had a small part, it was an important role in the film.

Given the great actor Tom hanks is, we would have loved to see Hanks do the Andy part, or Clint Eastwood being Red, but then, could Shawshank achieve the cult status, it has achieved now? I doubt.

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{ 10 comments... read them below or Comment }

Anita-Clare Field4 October 2013 at 06:21
It's a totally iconic movie and this is a brilliant insight for people who have seen it and those who have not. Thanks for sharing :)
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Linda Hampton RN, MSN4 October 2013 at 06:48
This was truly a great movie. I have watched this one many times. It was a hard way to live during hard times. I can only imagine what it must be like to be locked up for 20 years and how different the world would look and be to that released man.
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Veronica Roth4 October 2013 at 08:09
Hi Amrit, I'm visiting from UBC. I've never seen this movie because I tend to stay away from depressing dramas, but it's fascinating to try to imagine that some other actor could have portrayed a role which is now attributed to someone. It probably would have been a completely different movie. :)
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Rickie5 October 2013 at 09:48
Interesting how different actors leave their own unique stamp on the character they play.
Can you imagine I haven't yet seen this film? Perhaps the only one left on this planet who hasn't yet!
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Piyush15 April 2014 at 12:12
The best movie ever.. I don't agree with you on Hanks would have played it better....everything is perfect about that movie...can not be bettered.
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Unknown27 April 2017 at 18:21
Fascinating how distinctive performing artists leave their own particular one of a kind stamp on the Download Youtube Videos they play. Can you envision I haven't yet observed this film? Maybe the just a single left on this planet who hasn't yet!
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