20 Things You Didn’t Know About Moneyball

16. Comedian Demetri Martin Was Originally Hired To Play Peter Brand

The role of the A's assistant GM Peter Brand was ultimately played by Jonah Hill, who received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his efforts, though back when Moneyball was still being helmed by Steven Soderbergh, the casting was totally different.

Soderbergh had already cast comedian Demetri Martin as Brand before being dismissed from the project, at which point Martin was also let go. In Martin's own words:

"I had a great two-hour meeting with Steven Soderbergh, and I found out the next day that I got the part...I was thrilled. I was going to be in a movie directed by Steven Soderbergh, who I have great respect for, and Brad Pitt! I got my hair cut next to Brad in the trailer, we were going over our characters, talking about how this was going to work. That was a Thursday. Friday, I get a call before we get to the set...New script, new director a year later, and of course, I wasn’t in the movie."