15 Famous TV Roles That Were Almost Played by Someone Else
Some of the most familiar characters on television nearly looked very different. Casting searches tested multiple actors, early pilots were reshot, and network requests sometimes pushed producers toward surprising options. The final choices are now well known, yet the near misses tell an interesting story about how shows evolve before viewers ever see them.
This list looks at famous TV roles that almost went to someone else. It focuses on concrete casting steps such as screen tests, pilot shoots, offers, and scheduling hurdles that changed who ended up on screen.
Michael Scott on ‘The Office’
During development of the U.S. version of ‘The Office’, Bob Odenkirk tested for the regional manager role and reached the final stage. The team later invited him back to play a similar boss during Pam’s interview in a season nine episode, a nod to how close he came to leading the series. NBC also sounded out other choices, and Paul Giamatti declined early interest from the network.
Steve Carell secured the part after producers saw his auditions and his schedule opened when another project did not continue. The pilot filmed in 2004 and the series premiered in 2005. Carell’s film commitments were coordinated around the show once it moved forward.
Daenerys Targaryen on ‘Game of Thrones’
Tamzin Merchant played Daenerys in the original unaired pilot of ‘Game of Thrones’. After that pilot did not go to series, HBO approved a major rework that included recasting the role.
Emilia Clarke joined during the overhaul and reshot the early material before the show’s 2011 launch. The creative reset covered key scenes in the character’s introduction and set the version that reached air.
Catelyn Stark on ‘Game of Thrones’
Jennifer Ehle portrayed Catelyn Stark in the original pilot for ‘Game of Thrones’. She exited before series production began, and the part was handed to Michelle Fairley.
Large sections of the pilot were reshot with Fairley in the role to match the revised approach. Those changes were completed ahead of the first season premiere in 2011.
Kathryn Janeway on ‘Star Trek: Voyager’
Geneviève Bujold was cast as the captain in early ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ filming and worked on set for two days. She left the production due to the pace of weekly television and the role was recast.
Kate Mulgrew stepped in as Kathryn Janeway and reshot the initial footage. The series launched on UPN in 1995, with the updated captain front and center from the first episode.
Walter White on ‘Breaking Bad’
Before Bryan Cranston was approved, AMC reached out to John Cusack and Matthew Broderick for Walter White on ‘Breaking Bad’. Both passed, which kept the search open while the show moved toward a pilot order.
Creator Vince Gilligan pointed to Cranston’s guest turn in the ‘The X-Files’ episode ‘Drive’ to demonstrate the range needed for the lead. Cranston won the role and production began for a 2008 premiere on AMC.
Don Draper on ‘Mad Men’
During early conversations for ‘Mad Men’, Thomas Jane was approached about playing Don Draper but did not pursue the part. The search continued while AMC developed the pilot.
Jon Hamm emerged from extensive auditions and filmed the pilot in 2006. The series premiered in 2007, with Hamm confirmed as the face of the show after the network pickup.
Penny on ‘The Big Bang Theory’
The first version of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ had a different female lead named Katie, played by Amanda Walsh, in an unaired pilot. Network notes led the producers to rework the concept and replace the character.
Kaley Cuoco joined the second pilot as Penny, which was the version CBS ordered to series. The show premiered in 2007, with the new neighbor dynamic established from the start.
Sheldon Cooper on ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Johnny Galecki was initially offered Sheldon on ‘The Big Bang Theory’, but he asked to play Leonard instead. The producers agreed and continued the search for a different Sheldon.
Jim Parsons auditioned more than once and impressed the creators with his readings. He was cast ahead of the reshot pilot, locking in the final pairing of Sheldon and Leonard.
Chandler Bing on ‘Friends’
Craig Bierko was a strong contender for Chandler during the ‘Friends’ casting process. Matthew Perry was tied to a science fiction pilot titled ‘LAX 2194’ and was not free at first, which kept Bierko in the mix.
When Perry became available he read again and secured the role. Jon Cryer also auditioned while working in London, and his tape arrived too late to affect the final decision before the 1994 series launch.
Rachel Green on ‘Friends’
Producers of ‘Friends’ pursued several options for Rachel Green and Téa Leoni turned down the role. The part remained open as the team assembled the rest of the ensemble.
Jennifer Aniston joined while still appearing in the CBS series ‘Muddling Through’. When that show ended, her schedule cleared and she continued as Rachel for the full run starting with the 1994 premiere.
Carrie Bradshaw on ‘Sex and the City’
HBO approached Dana Delany about playing Carrie Bradshaw on ‘Sex and the City’. She declined, and the network and producers continued meeting actresses for the lead.
Sarah Jessica Parker accepted after initial hesitation about a long term television commitment. The show premiered in 1998 and established Parker as the face of the series from its first episode.
Tony Soprano on ‘The Sopranos’
Creator David Chase considered Steven Van Zandt after seeing him on television and brought him in to meet for ‘The Sopranos’. HBO asked that the lead be a trained actor, which redirected the process for Tony Soprano.
James Gandolfini then became the focus of the search and filmed the pilot in 1997. Van Zandt joined the cast as Silvio Dante, and the series premiered in 1999.
Rick Grimes on ‘The Walking Dead’
Frank Darabont worked with Thomas Jane during early development of ‘The Walking Dead’ and had him attached when the project was being pitched. When the series moved forward at AMC, the role was recast.
Andrew Lincoln won the part after auditions in 2010 and production started in Atlanta. The first season arrived later that year with Lincoln leading the ensemble.
Spock on ‘Star Trek’
The role of Spock on ‘Star Trek’ was offered to Martin Landau during the search for the original cast. He declined because he did not want to play a character defined by emotional restraint.
Leonard Nimoy accepted and helped define the Vulcan presence on the show. Filming for the 1966 season locked in the final version that aired on NBC.
Captain James T. Kirk on ‘Star Trek’
Before William Shatner became Captain Kirk, the production approached Jack Lord. Talks ended when his requests for compensation and control could not be met.
Shatner joined after Jeffrey Hunter departed the first pilot, which used a different captain. Shatner appeared in the second pilot and the network picked up the series soon after.
Share your favorite almost cast pick in the comments and tell us which version you would have wanted to see.
