What if William Baldwin Never Left 'Thelma & Louise'?
Brad Pitt had a whole lot of gigs before he nabbed his career-propulsioning role in Thelma & Louise -- from an uncredited preppie kid in Less Than Zero, to the soap opera wonder of Another World and Dallas, to sitcoms like Growing Pains. He's an actor whose notoriety rose with his talents -- he paid his dues and worked his way up from goofy commercial gigs shilling Pringles to big-screen success. But what if he never got to play with Thelma and Louise?See, Pitt was the third choice for the role. According to IMDb, William Baldwin was the first choice, but he gave it up to star in Backdraft. (George Clooney also lobbied hard for the gig.) The choice makes sense. Why play some bit part when you can star in a Ron Howard flick with Kurt Russell, Robert De Niro, and Donald Sutherland? If only the sensible always made sense... Alas, you don't hear people still talking about Baldwin's firefighting, you hear about the sexy robber known as J.D.
Backdraft didn't kickstart Baldwin's career, and while it hasn't tanked like, say, Stephen's, it hasn't been the greatest for a guy who had Brad Pitt grabbing his cast-offs. One of Baldwin's biggest recent gigs -- the partner TV show cop in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But what if he stuck with the original gig and rocked it as well? Would it have led from Johnny Suede to A River Runs Through It, Interview with the Vampire, and ultimately, Se7en? No doubt Pitt would've still found his way, but would it have been different enough that Baldwin would've grabbed some of those early gigs and more long-lasting fame?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-28-2009 @ 6:12PM
CParis said...
Brad Pitt had the acting chops to play his role in "Thelma & Louise" as a good-time, petty crook - he was totally hot, and totally non-threatening.
I don't think William Baldwin has shown the ability that would have made that role anything but sorta smarmy and creepy.
It seems pretty clear that Alec has locked of most of the acting talent in that family.
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9-28-2009 @ 5:17PM
Faye said...
I always wonder about things like this. I think Kim Basinger passed over the role of Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs. Back on topic. I don't think T&L would have had the same punch to William's career as it did for Brad's. Brad was pretty much unknown while Baldwin had done a couple of high profile movies like Internal Affairs and Flatliners under his belt. He was also known as the hottest of the Baldwin brothers.
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9-28-2009 @ 6:50PM
E-Rock said...
I agree. I don't think Baldwin in "Thelma & Louise" would have catapulted his career or even made a difference. I think most people are glad he didn't...obvious reasons for female fans and his roles playing against type later in his career.
Some 'what ifs' work out and some don't. I still would have loved to see what happened to Michael Madsen's career if he completely dropped "Wyatt Earp" for "Pulp Fiction".
Billy Baldwin, you were the bomb in "FAIR GAME" yo!
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9-28-2009 @ 8:11PM
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9-29-2009 @ 4:58AM
dude blick said...
You know, I don't think it would have made a difference. Because I think the only role that mattered in Brad Pitt's life was really "Legends of the Fall". That's what made him a hunk icon to the womenz and after that he was box office gold.
Johnny Suede to A River Runs Through It, Interview with the Vampire, and Se7en were non issue. Put a different actor in these roles other than Pitt and you have the same result.
How about Baldwin in Legends of the Fall? Long hair, maybe he would be half indian. lol
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9-29-2009 @ 9:33AM
villedeville said...
William Baldwin as J.B. in "Thelma and Louise"? It's like seeing Ronald Reagan (the first choice for the leading role) in "Casablanca".
I would hate to even think about it.
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