Brendan Fraser has revealed that he was super hesitant during an ill-fated audition for the role of Superman.
Appearing on The Howard Stern Show, Fraser talked about his long-ago tryout for J.J. Abrams’ proposed film Superman: Flyby, which never went into production. “Everyone in town was reading for Superman. They were testing six or seven guys in 2002 or 2003,” said Fraser.
“Of course it’s a life-changing, amazing opportunity, but I had to reconcile with, ‘Okay, say you do get the job to be the Man of Steel. It’s going to be chipped on your gravestone. Are you okay with that? You will forevermore be known as the Man of Steel.’ There was a sort of Faustian bargain that went into [the] feeling, and I think inherently I didn’t want to be known for only one thing, because I prided myself on diversity my whole professional life. I’m not a one-trick pony.”
His misgivings, he allowed, likely showed up during his audition.
What Fraser termed “shenanigans and studio politics, and, probably, inherently, (his reluctance) in my screen test” cost him the role.
He understood. “I think that’s why you test — they could kind of see I was only there like 98% instead.”