9 Strangest Film Casting Choices (That Actually Worked)

It's very telling that there was perhaps nobody more adverse to Tom Cruise's casting as the villainous vampire Lestat in the the adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire than Anne Rice herself, who was very vocal in her criticism of the casting.

And her concerns, as well as those of her legions of fans, were not unfounded. In the novel, Lestat is meant to be a large, intimidating figure representing the seductive but selfish mindset of the aristocracy, who were more than willing to sacrifice human lives for the betterment of the upper class. He is notably older, terrifyingly persistent, and almost invincible. Actors Rice had imagined for the role included Julian Sands, John Malkovich and Jeremy Irons.

But the studio had wanted a younger, more marketable heartthrob of an actor for the role. And in 1994, that meant Tom Cruise. Up to that point, Cruise was known for mostly intense but affable performances in the likes of Top Gun, Risky Business, and Rain Man. He'd never come across as someone who could be dangerous or intimidating. But Rice herself admitted her concerns were misplaced and she, along with audiences, were please with Cruise's sultry and unnerving performance as the movie's antagonist.