Robert De Niro Was Originally Cast in BIG Before Tom Hanks

The classic 1988 film Big almost ended up being a lot different had the original casting decision held. Tom Hanks ended up starring in the movie and he was nominated for an Oscar for his role, but Robert De Niro was originally supposed to star in the film as Josh Baskin!

I can’t even imagine what Big would have been like with De Niro in this role. I just don’t see it. But, it would have certainly been interesting to see! This interesting bit of movie trivia comes from Elizabeth Perkins, who played adult Josh’s love interest in the 1988 film. While appearing on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, she said:

“Robert De Niro was actually cast in the role of Josh in the movie Big. It fell apart because he had a scheduling conflict, and then they went to Tom Hanks. It’s like a totally different movie in my brain with Robert De Niro.”

Perkins actually auditioned with De Niro for her role in the film and when talking about how De Niro played the character, she said:

“He was more moody. It was more of a — a little more of a horror movie. Robert De Niro wandering around the streets of New York. What Tom Hanks brought to it was so much lighter.”

Yeah, it sounds like Hanks was the better choice for the film.