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Considered by many the best decade for movies, the 70s saw the rise of some of the finest filmmakers of all time, including Steven Spielberg. The director rose to prominence following the release ofJaws, one of the few movies to be deemed perfect by Quentin Tarantino, and one of the factors that elevated the film to greatness was the casting.
It’s hard to imagine a better cast forJawsthan the one we got. With Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss at the forefront, everyone succeeds in playing their part to perfection. However, Dreyfuss wasn’t even in the discussion to play the role of Matt Hooper, as Spielberg initially had his eyes set onCrazy HeartStar Jeff Bridges.
Also read:“I was a little upset”: Steven Spielberg Had to Inspire Cast by Embarrassing Himself in $1B Movie After Actors Were Frustrated With Their Own ‘Fake Acting’
Jeff Bridges refused the offer to star in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’
With a career spanning over seven decades, Jeff Bridges has found himself starring in several major projects, including critically acclaimed gems,The Big Lebowski,andCrazy Heart. But back in the 70s, theIron Manactor was one of the initial choices to star inSteven Spielberg‘s breakthrough movie, however, everyone turned down the role, including Bridges.
“Richard Dreyfuss was not my first choice. I went to Jon Voight first, and he said no. I think we interviewed Timothy Bottoms as well as several other actors, including Jeff Bridges.”Spielberg recalled.“We got turned down or they weren’t available. These things happen all the time.”
After losing his initial choices to star in his most important work at the time,Star Warsdirector George Lucas came in to save the day, recommending Richard Dreyfuss to Spielberg.
Also read:“Do you have a nice stomach?”: Megan Fox Was Asked a Bizarre Question by Michael Bay for $709M Transformers Audition Before Getting Fired by Steven Spielberg for ‘Hitler’ Comment
George Lucas helped Steven Spielberg find the perfect man for the job
BeforeGeorge Lucastook the world by storm with the firstStar Wars, the director rose to the top following the success ofAmerican Graffiti, which Steven Spielberg adored. And when, Lucas recommended Richard Dreyfuss, who starred inAmerican Graffitialongside Harrison Ford, Spielberg went along with the option without any hesitation. Spielberg recalled,
“Richard Dreyfuss got the part because I loved [George Lucas’s] American Graffiti. George was the one who told me, ‘Why don’t you cast Ricky Dreyfuss?’”
Also read:“We’re all going to jail!”: Steven Spielberg Was Horrified By Director John Landis’ Arrogance That Led To the Most Tragic On Set Accident in Hollywood History
However, getting him on board wasn’t an easy task, as it took a lot of convincing, but eventually, the actor chimed in with the director’s vision, crafting one of the most influential movies of all time.
Jawsis available to rent on Apple TV.
Source:Vanity Fair
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
