Guy Pearce revealed that he was super close to getting the role of Bruce Wayne/ Batman in Batman Begins before an unnamed studio executive stopped him.
In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, Pearce talked briefly about losing out the role to Christian Bale. He auditioned for Batman for 2005’s Batman Begins. With him being a part of Christopher Nolan’s Momento, you would think that would give him a leg-up on getting the part.
“I Don’t ‘Get’ Guy Pearce”
He appeared to have gotten pretty far in the casting process too before some unknown studio exec somewhat casually dismissed Pearce from contention.
According to Pearce, a Warner Bros. exec told his agent that he does not “get” Guy Pearce and decided he will never hire him.
...there was an executive at Warner Bros. who quite openly said to my agent, “I don’t get Guy Pearce. I’m never going to get Guy Pearce. I’m never going to employ Guy Pearce.”
This comment is a very strange to say the least. Pearce is a very classically-handsome actor with a wide range of movie credits under his belt. He can be in experimental movies like Momento to more traditional action affairs, like Iron Man 3. He also has dramatic chops, playing key roles in dramas like The King’s Speech or LA Confidential. So to say one does not “get” Guy Pearce is like saying they don’t “get” handsome, talented acting talent.
How Close was Guy Pearce to Getting the Part?
Pearce went on to even say that the studio even flew him out to London to meet with Nolan and Liam Neeson for the part. But halfway through his flight is when apparently the executive made the call to say to not offer him the role.
Yes. They flew me to London, to discuss the Liam Neeson role for Batman, and I think it was decided on my flight that I wasn’t going to be in the movie. So I get there and Chris is like “Hey, you want to see the Batmobile and get dinner?
It does suck for Pearce to get far in the audition process just to get passed over due to the whims of some studio exec. However, Pearce has continued to have an amazing career since then.
Source: Vanityfair.com
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