When Brendan Fraser gave a bad audition for the Superman role
File picture of Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser was always clear about wanting to showcase diversity in roles in his filmography and this is why he was hesitant in taking up the role of Superman during an audition call in 2002 and 2003. It was not meant to happen, reveals Brendan who is currently on a high with his recently released The Whale in which he plays an obese man who wants to reconcile familial ties with estranged daughter.
Brendan recently featured on The Howard Stern Show where he spoke about his audition for the role of Superman in JJ Abrams’ proposed film Superman: Flyby. The film never went into production though. “Everyone in town was reading for Superman. They were testing six or seven guys in 2002 or 2003."
He added, "Of course it’s a life-changing, amazing opportunity, but I had to reconcile with, ‘Okay, say you do get the job to be the Man of Steel. It’s going to be chipped on your gravestone. Are you okay with that? You will forevermore be known as the Man of Steel.’ There was a sort of Faustian bargain that went into [the] feeling, and I think inherently I didn’t want to be known for only one thing, because I prided myself on diversity my whole professional life. I’m not a one-trick pony,” said Brendan on the emotions that he went through while prepping for the audition.
His hitch ultimately showed up during the audition. He termed “shenanigans and studio politics, and, probably, inherently, (his reluctance) in my screen test” that cost him the Superman role.
