10 Roles Written For Actors That Didn't Play Them
5. Jonah Hill, Jake Gyllenhaal & Thomas Haden Church Were All Almost Alan In The Hangover Part II
The Hangover was a surprise hit, thanks in large part to Zach Galifianakis' oddball performance and the extreme lengths the film would go for laughs without resorting to gross-out bits (too often). But the bearded funnyman wasn't the original pick to play Alan Garner, the architect of the entire lost weekend.
The role had been rewritten several times, but initially, he was supposed to be the brides' younger brother and both Jonah Hill and Jake Gyllenhaal were considered for the role. How different they both would have been. The rewrites aged him up and Thomas Haden Church was very nearly cast: again, VERY different.
And he wasn't the only character who almost wasn't played by the eventually-cast actor. Before Bradley Cooper came onboard as Phil Wenneck both Jack Black and Paul Rudd passed on the role among others.