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Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg became one of the greats when he helmed the holocaust dramaSchindler’s List. The harrowing tale of oppression, pain, and hope was headlined by a then-unknown Liam Neeson and received universal acclaim for its depiction of WWII. Spielberg won his first Oscar for Best Director for the film.
While Lian Neeson’s performance as the titular Oskar Schindler earned him an Academy Award nomination and cannot be imagined starring anyone else, many stars were reportedly interested in the role. One of them was reportedlyBraveheartstar Mel Gibson, who was considered by Spielberg but he had to reject him as he did not want a star to be in the lead.
Mel Gibson Was Considered For The Lead Role InSchindler’s List
ActorMel Gibsonhas also received his share of Oscar glory when he starred and directed in the war dramaBraveheart. The actor won the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Director for the film. It also won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Gibson was also nominated for the big category in 2016 for his war dramaHacksaw Ridgebut went home empty-handed.
Three years before he won his Oscar forBraveheart, Mel Gibson reportedly had his eyes on another future Academy winner. TheLethal Weaponstar was reportedly considered for the role of Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg’sSchindler’s List. In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, agent Michael Ovitz mentioned that Gibson was considered for the lead role at one point.
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Ovitz said that while Spielberg wanted a non-star to lead the film, theWhat Women Wantstar was also a suitable candidate for the role. He said,
“Mel Gibson’s name came up. He was interested. His agent put him forward. But it wasn’t going to happen. Steven wanted a non-movie star for the part.”
Despite the interest, Steven Spielberg chose to go with the then-relatively unknown Liam Neeson in the lead role. Liam Neeson mentioned that he had heard that other actors such as Harrison Ford and Kevin Costner were considered for the role, along with Australian actor Jack Thompson. However, Neeson ultimately gave the Oscar-nominated performance.
Mel Gibson’s inclusion in the film would have been ironic as the noted director and actor got embroiled in a controversy in 2006. According toPeople magazine, Mel Gibson was reportedly arrested on a DUI and was heard shouting anti-Semitic slurs at his officer.
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Steven Spielberg Took Ten Years To MakeSchindler’s List
Steven Spielbergbegan his ascent to becoming one of Hollywood’s greatest filmmakers when he directed the war dramaSchindler’s List. The legendary filmmaker reportedly worked on bothJurassic ParkandSchindler’s Listparallelly as his agent Michael Ovitz had to make sure that the film got made by Universal Studios in a package deal.
While celebrating the film’s thirty-year anniversary, Ovitz mentioned to The Hollywood Reporter that he got the idea to merge both films in the deal when his client Michael Crichton wrote the book,
“I got this crazy idea that I should attach Schindler’s List to the Jurassic Park deal, but I really couldn’t make it a “condition” of the deal. This is where it got really sticky and delicate…we said, ‘Look, we’ve got this movie, Schindler’s List. It’s about the Holocaust. It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be real. Steven wants to make it.’”
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While the film gave all the glory to Steven Spielberg, even giving him his first Oscar, the filmmaker was reportedly apprehensive at first. The book,Schindler’s Ark, on which the film was based, was reportedly offered to the director by MCA President Sid Sheinberg after the success ofE.T: The Extra-Terrestrialin 1982.
However, Spielberg was reportedly not confident about adapting the novel at first. He said,
“I hadn’t made what I’d call my first “adult” film, and I was terrified of Schindler’s List being my first, because what if I wasn’t mature enough? I was certain I wasn’t ready to deal with the gravitas of that subject matter, morally or cinematically…I went to Marty [Scorsese], and Marty was intrigued. It was Marty who hired Steve Zaillian.”
Steven Spielberg finally took on the task of making the film ten years after it was first offered to him. He mentioned that he felt ready to tackle the subject matter after he had made the filmsThe Colour PurpleandEmpire of the Sun. The director reportedly did not even take a salary for the film, saying that it would be ‘blood money’.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
