Which actor was originally cast as Dr. Ernest Menville in "Death Becomes Her"?
When Robert Zemeckis was casting Dr. Ernest Menville for his 1992 dark comedy "Death Becomes Her," he needed someone who could both hold his own opposite Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, but also serve as the hapless plastic surgeon husband caught between two immortal frenemies. Zemeckis had his perfect choice locked down, ready to sign on the dotted line, but Hollywood being Hollywood, things got messy before cameras could roll. Which actor was originally cast as Dr. Ernest Menville?
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Correct Answer: Kevin Kline
(Source)Fresh off his Oscar win for "A Fish Called Wanda," Kevin Kline probably figured he had enough Hollywood juice to negotiate a better payday, but Universal Studios told him to take a hike. The studio made Zemeckis work through his backup list, and seriously considered both Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte before finally settling on Bruce Willis. Willis was riding high from his "Die Hard" success and had zero issues with whatever Universal was offering. Looking back, it's hard to imagine anyone other than Willis bringing that perfect mix of everyman confusion and deadpan exasperation to Ernest, especially when he's trying to fix two bickering corpses with spray paint and makeup.
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