20 Things You Didn't Know About The Prestige

18. Christopher Nolan "Begged" David Bowie To Star

The Prestige poster Hugh Jackman Scarlett Johansson Christian Bale
Warner Bros. Pictures

Christopher Nolan is one of the most respected directors in Hollywood, and his projects are highly sought after by actors, composers, and other filmmaking talent.

Generally speaking, he can get whoever he wants, but back during the development of The Prestige - while still a proven name thanks to the likes of Memento and Batman Begins - he didn't have quite as much muscle as he does today, and as a result, the filmmaker had to beg David Bowie to come aboard and play Nikola Tesla.

After Bowie passed away in early 2016, Nolan shared a few thoughts about the famed actor and musician, revealing that he initially turned down the offer to appear in the film. Nolan then "begged" Bowie to accept his offer, believing that he was the only man on Earth who could play Tesla in this way.

Considering how fantastic Bowie is in the role, with his magical - pardon the pun - and mysterious presence, it's safe to say that Nolan's instincts were on the money.

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Danny has been with WhatCulture for almost nine years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. He has been writing and video editing for 10+ years, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers and uploading them to YouTube (they're admittedly a bit rusty by today's standards). If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order or to tell you about the making of 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks, Danny is the person to ask.