‘Outer Range’ Star Tom Pelphrey Almost Played Professor X in Upcoming Marvel ‘X-Men’ Reboot: “I’ve Got a Fat Head”

Marvel Studios has spent much of 2026 quietly assembling its new cinematic vision for ‘X-Men,’ and the casting rumor mill has been running hot for months. Names have circulated for nearly every major mutant role, but few have generated as much chatter as the search for a new Charles Xavier, the wheelchair-bound telepath who has anchored the franchise since its earliest days.

Tom Pelphrey has become a familiar face to prestige television audiences, earning two Emmy nominations and building a fan base off standout performances in shows like ‘Ozark,’ ‘Banshee’ and ‘Task.’ He is arguably the least famous name among the actors who circled the Professor X role, a group that also reportedly included Bill Skarsgard, Harris Dickinson and Will Poulter.

That speculation turned into confirmation this week. A clip of Pelphrey was shared addressing the audition directly, and the moment lines up with reporting that Christopher Abbott and Tom Pelphrey had both auditioned for the part of Charles Xavier in the new ‘X-Men’ film. The casting search had already drawn plenty of attention, with outlets naming Abbott, Skarsgard, Dickinson, Pelphrey and Poulter as the five actors who tested for the role, before Abbott ultimately landed the part at Marvel Studios.

Pelphrey didn’t sound bitter about losing out. Speaking on the podcast, he joked that missing the role actually spared him from a rough haircut, laughing that he has “a fat head” and “a watermelon” for a skull, and that he’d asked to see an AI-generated image of himself bald before even considering the part, figuring that alone might be “horrifying enough.”

The actor didn’t stop there. He added that the real silver lining of being the runner-up is skipping the daily razor routine an on-screen Xavier would require, quipping that the only hat that fits him is a size eight and that seeing his head shaved “empirically” would not be a pretty sight. It’s the kind of self-deprecating humor that has made Pelphrey a favorite among fans who’ve followed his run on ‘Task’ and his earlier work on ‘Banshee.’

Beyond the jokes, Pelphrey used the moment to reflect on how far he’s come as an actor. He described feeling grateful just to be in the room for conversations like the ‘X-Men’ audition, noting that plenty of other meetings and opportunities have come his way that were never made public. He credited a 2013 decision to get sober as the turning point that reshaped his outlook, saying that perspective now lets him see every closed door as an open one waiting somewhere else.

The Professor X casting saga has been one of the most closely watched storylines building toward Marvel’s ‘X-Men’ reboot, with insiders continuing to debate who else might round out the roster. Reports have also floated Patrick Wilson as a name Marvel considered but ultimately passed on, reportedly favoring a younger actor for the part instead. Charles Xavier has historically been portrayed with a British accent by both Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy, though some reports suggest that choice may not carry over this time around, given the character’s roots as a New Yorker.

For now, Abbott appears to be moving forward as the studio’s choice for the iconic role, while Pelphrey seems content to let the door close with good humor intact. Given how much buzz has followed every casting reveal tied to this project, it’s unlikely to be the last time his name comes up in the conversation, even if it’s just for one more joke about hat sizes.