Auditioning for roles

[Melakon]

Why is it in some cases we get knowledge of who might have auditioned for major roles (Jeffrey Combs for Riker, Susan Gibney for Janeway, Tim Russ for LaForge as examples), but other names seem to be deliberately withheld?

Is there a confidentiality clause due to union regulations? Or does most of this knowledge just come from the rejected actors volunteering the information themselves?

I guess someone with SAG or AFTRA credentials could give a definitive answer.

[MacLeod]

Sometimes though they fail to get a particular part, they do get cast in a different role

[Melakon]

Yeah, that's sort of how we learn about much of it. Though I wonder about those we don't hear about, whether there's something that prevents us learning about it, even if it's a recognizable name. Maybe it's just a courtesy to avoid embarrassing the actor.

[Gary7]

"Deliberately withheld"? How could we possibly know that, if we don't have the info to begin with.

Being turned down for a role is nothing to be embarrassed about. Casting is all about finding the "right fit"... which is often based on appearance and intrinsic personality, not talent.

[Melakon]

True. When they were casting Quark, Armin Shimerman told Max Grodenchik he knew it was between them, because they were the only short guys auditioning.

[Therin of Andor]

Melakon wrote:

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Is there a confidentiality clause due to union regulations? Or does most of this knowledge just come from the rejected actors volunteering the information themselves?

It's usually a matter of luck that fans encounter this kind of information. Studios put out media releases when an actor wins a role; they don't usually promote those who turned up but failed the audition.

Sometimes the news does filter out, either in interviews or when actors are at conventions.

"The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture" has a reprint of a memo listing the actors called in to audition for Will Decker (one of whom was Andrew Robinson).

[Melakon]

I thought Andy had auditioned for something, but was misremembering it as Riker.

[Therin of Andor]

Melakon wrote:

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I thought Andy had auditioned for something, but was misremembering it as Riker.

He probably did, too.

[toughlittleship]

We still don't know who the original actor playing Dukat was, twenty years later.

[Therin of Andor]

toughlittleship wrote:

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We still don't know who the original actor playing Dukat was, twenty years later.

If someone bought the original costume in the various Paramount clearance auctions, the actor's name would be on the tag.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I had no idea anyone else auditioned for Dukat. I guess it's good they didn't get it, 'cause nobody out-Dukats Marc Alaimo!

[Therin of Andor]

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

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I had no idea anyone else auditioned for Dukat. I guess it's good they didn't get it, 'cause nobody out-Dukats Marc Alaimo!

According to Memory Alpha, someone else was cast, then "let go", as a classic case of miscasting, after the first day of filming.

Since Alaimo had already played Macet in TNG,
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Macet
he was known to do a menacing Cardassian.

[t_smitts]

There have been a few last minute replacements for roles:

-Most people know the actor who played Lazarus had to be replaced when Drew Barrymore's father, cast in the role, didn't show up.

-Vaughn Armstrong also replaced someone for his role in "Sleeping Dogs".

-Most people also know the unfortunate circumstances why Kivas Fajo and Liam Bilby had to be recast in their respective episodes.

I too would be interested in know who the first choice of Dukat would've been. Is it someone who's worked on Star Trek in another role? (I think J.G. Hertzler read for Dukat too).

I can understand wanting to spare someone the embarrassment of letting their replacement be too public, especially if it was simply a case of not being right for the part, rather than being difficult or something. (Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, for instance, held no ill-will towards Eric Stoltz, and have been reluctant to let people see the BTTF footage he shot, not wanting to embarrass him, especially since he's still a working actor).

That being said, I don't think there's necessarily any shame in people finding out that you auditioned for a role and didn't get it. That happens to every actor. It's no black mark. Jeffrey Combs has given us some phenomenal performances, but I don't think anyone here would say he would've been right for Riker, as the character appears written.

I remember reading somewhere that Colm Meaney read for one of the main TNG roles and the conn guy that evolved into O'Brien was a consolation prize. I wonder which it was. (Probably Riker or Data). I was surprised to learn Rosalind Chao had read for roles too. (Tasha, and I think maybe Troi).

These "road not taken" stories have always interested me. I'd love to get my hands on some audition sheets, either for guest roles or regulars, and see who some of the names are. I'm sure a few would be quite surprising. (Come to think of it, if I ever get to, I'd love to ask some of the casting people about that).