Brad Pitt and George Clooney have appeared in many iconic films in their lifetimes, but the two veteran actors once auditioned for a seemingly feminist film really early in their careers. Thelma & Louise’s casting panel went with Brad Pitt, but what exactly happened in there?
While they have a great bromance on and off-screen, Brad Pitt ate away Clooney’s opportunity to shine on the silver screen in the 1991 adventure film that went on to win an Oscar for best screenplay out of a total of six nominations.
It was later found out by the lead actress — Geena Davis that Clooney lost out the part to Pitt when she accidentally met him. It’s all left to the audience’s imagination as to how Clooney would have looked taking his shirt off in the $45 million film.
Read more: “I took the red pill”: Surprising Reason Brad Pitt Doesn’t Regret Losing Out on the Matrix
Brad Pitt’s Audition Impressed Lead Geena Davis
Both George Clooney and Brad Pitt were the final two candidates. The lead actress, surprisingly, could only remember the latter’s audition as she recalled being mesmerized by his appearance on the set.
“Each of them was very handsome. They all had brown hair and were very talented. I didn’t care who it was going to be. Then the fourth one comes in, and it’s Brad Pitt. He’s so charismatic and so incredibly talented that I was screwing up his audition,” she said on The Graham Norton Show once.
As per The Independent, she put in a good word for Brad Pitt to the film’s casting directors – saying, “The blonde one!” It was that extra push from her that ousted Clooney.
George Clooney Almost Played J.D In Thelma & Louise
Working in a Ridley Scott film has always been a dream for actors of every generation, but George Clooney losing J.D. in Thelma & Louise (1991) made him hate Brad Pitt.
Lead actress Geena Davis, in the same interview, told Graham Norton that there were so many that she forgot there was Clooney among them.
“And you didn’t remember him at all?” – asked Norton. “No!” – replied Davis.
Sitting next to Clooney on a flight once, Davis found out that he almost had the part.
“I [Davis] said, ‘Oh, did you want the part?’ He said, ‘You couldn’t tell when I auditioned with you?’”
It wasn’t long until George Clooney found his calling in NBC’s TV series ER wherein he played Dr. Doug Ross.
The Ocean’s trilogy never picked up on another sequel, but Gary Ross came with an all-female cast in the spin-off Ocean’s 8 in 2018.
Ocean’s franchise is currently streaming on multiple streaming platforms.
Source: The Independent
