These Are the Two Actors Steven Spielberg Forced to Be in His Movies
Steven Spielberg is known for getting incredible performances from his actors, but sometimes that means convincing them to take roles they didn’t initially want. Two famous examples show how far the director will go to cast the perfect actor.
The first story involves John Goodman and the 1994 live-action adaptation of The Flintstones. During a table read for Spielberg’s 1989 film Always, he singled out Goodman as the perfect choice to play Fred Flintstone. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to say something before we start. I’ve found my Fred Flintstone,” Spielberg announced.
Goodman hadn’t been asked if he even wanted the part, and he was frustrated to be “sandbagged” in front of the cast. Eventually, he agreed to do the movie five years later, but he didn’t enjoy the experience.
When a sequel was planned to be shot back-to-back, Goodman insisted to Spielberg that he didn’t want to return. British actor Mark Addy eventually took over the role for The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
The second example turned out very differently. Daniel Day-Lewis initially turned down Spielberg’s offer to play Abraham Lincoln in the mid-2000s biopic Lincoln. The role intimidated him because of its historical importance and the scale of the project. Spielberg didn’t give up, though.
He returned six years later with a revised script focused on the last four months of Lincoln’s life. With encouragement from Leonardo DiCaprio, who starred in Gangs of New York with Day-Lewis, Spielberg convinced the actor to take the part. “I’ve never gone on a campaign before,” Spielberg admitted. “I pretty much take ‘no’ for an answer. It’s one of the few times in my entire life where I was not willing to accept that answer.”
Day-Lewis’s performance was widely acclaimed and earned him a Best Actor Academy Award. Spielberg believes that their initial meeting helped plant the seed for the actor’s eventual agreement. “I don’t think he ever forgot our encounter,” Spielberg said. “And I don’t think he ever forgot the challenge that was offered to him.”
These two stories highlight Spielberg’s persistence and his eye for talent. He knows when he has the right actor and isn’t afraid to push them, even if it means overcoming initial resistance. While it didn’t always lead to a perfect experience for the actor, the results on-screen often speak for themselves.
Spielberg’s willingness to pursue actors for roles he believes they’re perfect for shows how much passion and vision go into his filmmaking. It also raises interesting questions about artistic persuasion versus actor autonomy. What do you think? Should directors push actors into roles for the sake of art, or should the actor’s comfort come first? Share your thoughts in the comments.
