James Corden Almost Starred in THE WHALE When Director Tom Ford Was Attached To The Movie
Before Brendan Fraser landed the role in Darren Aronofsky’s film adaptation of The Whale, another star was originally set to star in the film… James Corden.
According to Deadline, Corden was originally set to star in the role when fashion designer and director Tom Ford was set to develop the film. He said: “I was going to play that part, and Tom Ford was going to direct.”
Corden explained that the reason this version of the film ultimately didn’t happen was because Ford wanted more complete control of the project. Corden also says that he thinks he may have been too young to do it justice.
The actor went on to say that George Clooney also jumped in at one point to develop the film, but he only wanted to make the movie if they cast an actual 600-pound unknown actor to play the lead role. When that became too much of a complication, Clooney never fully committed.
It’s hard to imagine Corden in the lead role of The Whale, and I’m not sure he would have been able to pull it off in the way that Brendan Fraser does. After watching Fraser, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role and now he’s going to be nominated for all the best actor awards during award season. He gave such a power performance!
The movie is based on Samuel D. Hunter‘s critically-acclaimed 2012 play of the same name. It tells the story of a reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity. The six-hundred-pound recluse is hiding away from the world and slowly eating himself to death. He is given one last chance at redemption as he attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.
The movie also stars Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton (The Walking Dead) and Ty Simpkins (Insidious, Iron Man 3).