TheFast and Furiousfranchise has seen a wide range of stars rise to significance within its many films, but among them were very nearly some shocking casting choices. Starting from humble beginnings as an endearing crime series, theFast and Furiousmovieshave slowly become globe-trotting blockbusters with increasingly absurd vehicular action.
Thus far, thecast of theFast and Furiousfranchisehas incorporated all sorts of actors, from recognizable stars like Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to lesser-known martial arts legends like Ronda Rousey and Tony Jaa. While some near-misses in their casting are more expected, like Dave Bautista, the series nearly made some very surprising casting choices.
10Timothy Olyphant
It’s hard to imagine anyone but Vin Diesel as theFast and Furiousseries figurehead Dom Toretto, with his genuine earnestness being the perfect vessel for a cheesy commitment to family. However, Diesel was very nearly excluded as a condition of the very first film’s production.
Though his pearly-white smile and impressive fringe have become a fixture of film, these days, Timothy Olyphant is best known as a TV darling in series likeThe Mandalorianand the cruelly-canceledSanta Clarita Diet.As hard as it is to imagine,Olyphant was once championed by Universal to be the star of the first film, despite being a relative unknown at the time.
9Halle Berry
Halle Berry was a beloved staple of late ’90s and early 2000s action movies, from the bombasticDie Another Dayto the hilariously badCatwoman.In retrospect, this would have made her a fitting choice for theFast and Furiousfranchise early on. Yet it wasn’t until the sequel,Fast & Furious 7,that Berry would have finally joined Toretto’s family.
Rapper and franchise fixture Ludacris commented on his excitement for Halle Berry to make her grand entry into the series withFast & Furious 7, lending credence to rumors that were swirling at the time. Sadly, the idea would remain a rumor as Berry ultimately decided against appearing in the film, causing the plot to shift dramatically.
8Ja Rule
As proven by Ludacris' steadfast presence in the franchise for so long, theFast and Furiousfilms have never been above taking chances on music stars to become action movie heroes in their own right. Despite this, it still seems bizarre that Ja Rule, of all people, nearly played Tej Parker instead as early as the second movie.
Ja Rule was the second person approached to play Tej, with Ludacris actually being the third runner-up choice from the beginning. According to2 Fast 2 Furiousdirector John Singleton, Ja Rule turned down the opportunity out of vanity, only to miss out on what should have been an easy slam dunk for his career (ViaGrantland).
7Redman
With Ludacris ultimately being the one to score the role of Tej Parker and Ja Rule coming up second, it may be a surprise to learn that fellow rapper and producer Redman was the original choice for Tej from the very beginning (ViaETOnline). He’d cut his teeth in the film industry in thebeloved stoner comedyHow Higha few years prior, starring alongside futureFast and Furiouscameo Method Man.
Redman was actually very open to the idea, and had officially signed on board in pre-production. Sadly, when it came time to film2 Fast 2 Furious, scheduling conflicts reared their head and shoved Redman out of the running. Thus, the role of Tej trickled down to Ja Rule and then, finally, landed on Ludacris.
6Eminem
The final rapper to endure a near-miss with theFast and Furiousfranchise has also occasionally poked his head into the movie industry, headlining the semi-autobiographical8 Mileand making cameos in comedies likeThe Interview. But Eminem was very nearly cast as one of the most important characters inFast and Furiouscanon.
By now, Brian O’Conner has become synonymous with the late Paul Walker, owing to his tearful sendoff inFurious 7.It’s interesting to imagine an alternate reality in which Brian was still around and being played by Marshall Mathers, though his own schedule would have likely proved an issue as his rise to fame swelled.
5Tommy Lee Jones
Though widely revered as a serious prestige cinema darling for his films likeThe Fugitive, Tommy Lee Jones has never been above the occasional bit of Hollywood spectacle, holding his own opposite Will Smith in theMen in Blackmovies and making a brief appearance in the early Marvel Cinematic Universe. But somehow,Fast and Furiousstill seems out of his wheelhouse.
That being said, Jones very nearly came on board in the film thatrevived theFast and Furiousmovies,Fast Five, starring as none other than Luke Hobbs, no less. It’s very hard to imagine Tommy Lee Jones as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s musclebound hero now, as he would’ve likely taken the character in a completely different direction.
4Denzel Washington
Another actor more hailed for “serious” performances, Denzel Washington does admittedly make for an amazing criminal in movies likeAmerican Gangster. It would have been very interesting to see him navigate theFast and Furiousseries' gradual evolution into an increasingly ridiculous Hollywood blockbuster series, a realm Washington doesn’t really play in.
Denzel Washington was likely almost signed on to play the one and only Deckard Shaw, who would go on to be embodied by the wiry British action stylings of Jason Statham. At least, according toDeadline,he would have taken part asFurious 7’s major villain. Perhaps there’s still room for Denzel to join the fray, but that remains to be seen.
3Deepika Padukone
One of the strengths of theFast and Furiousfranchise scaling with its ever-growing sense of scale and scope is its renewed international appeal, incorporating all sorts of global stars.Furious 7nearly managed to capitalize on this better with an appearance of Deepika Padukone, one ofIndia’s biggest movie stars.
It’s been confirmed that Padukone was reached out for a possible role inFast 7, though whether she would have been replacing someone who did get cast or would have been her own unique character remains unclear. Either way, Padukone was already committed to the Bollywood filmRam-Leela, so the opportunity was unfortunately missed.
2Jason Mantzoukas
In recent years, Jason Mantzoukas has enjoyed something of a renaissance, landing memorable roles in shows such asThe Good PlaceandInvinciblewhile continuing to enjoy the following of hisHow Did This Get Made?podcast. That being said, he has dabbled in movies, coming very close to an appearance inFurious 7.
Jason Mantzoukas was considered for the role of Safar, Ramsay’s contact in Abu Dhabi, where the team travels in hopes of finding the God’s Eye. According to his own words on his podcast,Mantzoukas auditioned admirably, but lost out to Ali Fazal in the end. Still, Mantzoukas has claimed to be open to future appearances.
1David Tennant
Still beloved as one of the most famous ofthe manyDoctor WhoDoctors, David Tennant’s career has expanded far beyond the walls of the T.A.R.D.I.S., cropping up in TV shows like Netflix’sJessica Jonesand movies likeThe Thursday Murder Club.But an appearance in aFast and Furiousmovie would have undoubtedly exposed his charm to a new audience.
Though Tennant’s cheery demeanor as The Doctor seems an ill-fit for the franchise, he was one of the other U.K. actors considered for Luke Evans' Owen Shaw inFast 6.It’s a pity he was never involved, as it would have been amazing to see his take on a bombastic, high-energyFast and Furiouscharacter.
