That Thing You Do! Was released 25 years ago and Tom Hanks has revealed that Charlize Theron almost ended up with a different role.
Tom, 65, who wrote and co-starred in the musical comedy, has revealed what went down in the writing, casting and shooting of the film as he reflects on its anniversary.
The actor shared the lasting impression made by the then unknown Charlize, who played Tina Powers in the 1996 film about a pop rock band trying to emulate The Beatles.
However, in her first audition, she had other ideas about which role she wanted.
According to Tom, Charlize, who was just 19 at the time, ‘read on the very first day’ of auditions, and if it was down to her, she wouldn’t have ended up with the role of Guy ‘Shades’ Patterson’s girlfriend.
Tom shared: ‘She said, “Listen, I know I can play Tina, but I want to play Faye.” I said, “I get that,” but what I was thinking in my head was, “You’re too much of a supernova to play Faye.”’
The part of Jimmy’s girlfriend Faye eventually went to Liv Tyler after she caught Tom’s eye with not just her dazzling movie star looks, but also her talent and personality.
Tom, who played Mr. Amos White, confessed that casting Charlize ‘was such a coup,’ while producer Ed Saxon told him they’d ‘just met a movie star’ after meeting her in auditions.
‘She was smart, glamorous, and had a phenomenal sense of humour, and when she said the words, you were like, “there’s a whole character there,” Saxon said.
Despite glowing reviews of her initial audition, Charlize herself does not have positive memories of it, she expressed on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2018.
‘It was not good! I don’t know why he gave me the role, I mean, honestly,’ she exclaimed.
That Thing You Do! Was just Theron’s second project in her career, and she’s gone on to become a household name.
Now 46 years old and a three time Oscar nominee, the actor scored the best actress award for her role in Monster in 2004.
She’s also starred in titles such as Atomic Blonde, Mad Max: Fury Road and Snow White and the Huntsman.
The star’s next project will be a sequel to Netflix’s adaptation of The Old Guard.
Charlize appeared in the first movie and has confirmed production will start in early 2022.
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