The popular comedy Zoolander could have been very different, with Jake Gyllenhaal as Hansel and Andy Dick appearing in a much bigger role. Directed by Ben Stiller, with the actor also appearing in the title role, the film debuted in September 2011. It focused on the shallow and narcissistic fashion model Derek Zoolander, and is a satire on the fashion industry as a whole. Though it received mixed reviews from critics, the comedy performed reasonably well at the box office. It grossed a total of $60 million worldwide against a budget of $28 million. However, what ultimately helped Zoolander remain in the public consciousness (even leading to a sequel in 2016) was the fact that it built an even larger audience over the years following its premiere.
Part of Zoolander’s charm comes down to the cast that Stiller surrounded himself with. Owen Wilson played Hansel, a competitor of Derek’s in the fashion world. Will Ferrell played the villainous Jacobim Mugatu, while Christine Taylor and Milla Jovovich played memorable supporting roles as a journalist and a bodyguard, respectively. The comedy also included several perfectly-timed cameos, featuring everyone from David Bowie to Gwen Stefani, and many more. Now, on the 20th anniversary of Zoolander’s premiere, Stiller has reveals some unfulfilled casting choices that likely could have altered the film’s trajectory.
Speaking with Esquire, Stiller noted that the comedy could have featured Jake Gyllenhaal in the role of Hansel. At one point, it looked as though Wilson’s schedule would prevent him from starring in Zoolander and the character was open for auditions. “The only one that I remember clearly was a young Jake Gyllenhaal doing this wide-eyed version of Hansel that was really funny,” Stiller said. He also noted that comedian Andy Dick could have portrayed Mugatu but, because of scheduling conflicts, ultimately appeared as the more minor character of Olga.
It’s easy to see what might have attracted Gyllenhaal to Hansel, looking at the totality of his filmography. At the time that Zoolander came out, the actor’s breakout performance in Donnie Darko hadn’t yet premiered in theaters. After that point, however, Gyllenhaal would make a name for himself by moving between mainstream blockbuster projects and smaller films that are predicated on a distinctly unique character. Zoolander, in some ways, threads the needle between the two. It’s a movie that, ultimately, proved to appeal to a wide audience, but has several strange characters at its center.
But still, even though Gyllenhaal likely would have given a great performance as Hansel, the fashion comedy has likely been helped by the committed turns of Wilson and Ferrell as their respective characters. The best movies, more often than not, boast actors that are able to play off each other and bring their own unforgettable spin on the material. With a different cast, it’s possible that Zoolander would have fallen flat rather than build on its initial audience as it has, to the point that it’s now considered by many to be a cult classic.
Source: Esquire
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