Mads Mikkelsen “Crazy” Fantastic Four Scene Left Actor Humiliated At His Audition For 2005 Film
Mads Mikkelsen is now one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. He rose to fame as an actor in Denmark. His role as a drug dealer Tonny in Nicolas Winding Refn’s 1996 globally successful film Pusher, which also spawned two sequels, helped him gain prominence in show business.
Mads Mikkelsen did not attain international recognition until 2006 when he was cast as Le Chiffre in the twenty-first James Bond film Casino Royale which starred Daniel Craig as the popular spy. He went on to star in numerous other great Hollywood movies over the years. However, he had the chance to have his breakthrough in 2005 itself if it was not for his audition that did not work out in his favor.
Mads Mikkelsen’s Audition for Fantastic Four Did Not Work Out
At this point, there are hardly any actors in Hollywood who have not appeared in a superhero at least once. In fact, at this point, there are quite a few who have bid adieu to their roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For instance, Robert Downey Jr. who famously portrayed Iron Man doesn’t seem to be returning to the franchise anytime soon after his emotional farewell in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
Considering all of this, it might not come as much of a surprise that Mads Mikkelsen too auditioned for the role of a superhero. This role was that of Mr. Fantastic in the 2005 Marvel movie Fantastic Four. Eventually, the role went to Ioan Gruffudd, but the Hannibal actor certainly got humiliated by the audition.
Read More: Mads Mikkelsen’s Mistake Could’ve Cost James Bond a Whopping $616 Million Loss: “I was lucky…”
While addressing this in a profile with Vulture, Mikkelsen said:
“I know a lot of casting is just first impressions — is there anything there that reminds the producer and the director of the character they’re looking for? But I find it rude to ask people to come into a room and say one line while pretending you have 80-foot arms like the rubber man. ‘Grab that cup of coffee over there’ — it’s like, ‘Are you crazy? There’s not even a scene here.’ It was kind of humiliating.”
That movie could have been the one that would make Mikkelsen internationally recognized, but he did not seem to be too bothered about losing it, and apparently, for good.
Mads Mikkelsen’s Thoughts on Giant Hollywood Productions
Mads Mikkelsen’s role in Casino Royale might have been the role that the world recognized him through, but the actor himself once said that it did not change much because he was already a famous film star in Denmark. He also mentioned how it was quite easy for him to get the role. Not to mention that Daniel Craig too pointed it out.
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In the interview with Vulture, Mikkelsen expressed his thoughts about the giant Hollywood productions, saying:
“The bigger the budget of the film is, the more people have to watch it. That’s the case everywhere, even in Denmark. They get to play with the big toys. Super-crane and spider cameras, choppers, and things. At the same time, there is a certain formula, and if you miss it, you lose all your money.”
The Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore star went on to say that he thinks that there is a certain budget limit after which the director does not have many creative rights to the movie anymore.
