Spotting new actors in films or TV series is usually simple, but there are times when no one pays attention to changes in the cast. This trend is more prominent in sequels and spinoffs, but it does happen in solo movies as well.
Let’s look at some of the movies and TV shows that replaced one actor with another, and we didn’t even notice.
Richard Bremmer – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the evil Lord Voldemort appeared in one form or another in seven out of eight films about the boy wizard. Ralph Fiennes joined the cast only in the fourth film, and at the beginning, the sinister warlock was played by a little-known British actor Richard Bremmer.
Hugo Weaving – Avengers: Infinity War
One of the first villains of the MCU was the Red Skull. In 2011, he was played by the elven king from The Lord of the Rings – Hugo Weaving, and in the 2018 Avengers movie, we saw Ross Marquand, who also played Aaron in The Walking Dead.
Paul Walker – Fast and the Furious 7
When the star of the “Fast and the Furious” franchise, Paul Walker, died tragically in 2013, everyone thought that was the end of it. But Paul’s brothers, Cody and Caleb Walkers, stepped in to finish shooting the seventh movie. Of course, the visual effects specialists helped too.
Damion Poitiers – Avengers
Josh Brolin was not the first man to play Thanos. In the 2012 Avengers, the Mad Titan was portrayed by stuntman Damion Poitier in that short post-credits scene. Two years later, Brolin came in to play Thanos in the Guardians of the Galaxy, but almost nobody noticed that change.
Penelope Cruz – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
While filming the summer blockbuster, Penelope Cruz was already visibly pregnant, so in some shots, the actress was replaced by her sister Monica. The striking resemblance of the sisters allowed the producers to avoid unnecessary problems and finish shooting on time.
James Purefoy – “V means Vendetta”
Although the audience was never able to look under the mask of the mysterious Guy Fawkes, most of us knew that Hugo Weaving played the vigilante. However, few are aware that James Purefoy was involved in the early stages of filming. Some of the scenes with his participation even ended up in the final cut of the movie.
Peter Mayhew – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
In the 2015 space opera, we see many new characters played by Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and others. Jonas Suotamo was also one of them. The Finnish actor replaced Peter Mayhew, known for playing Chewbacca, and most of the fans reacted calmly to this news. At least those who read the articles preceding the premiere. The rest of the fandom still has no idea.
Lacey Chabert – Family Guy
Family Guy’s Meg was first voiced by a young actress Lacey Chabert. However, the tight schedule did not allow her to continue working on the series, and soon Meg got a new voice – Mila Kunis. Most of the viewers never even realized this.
Richard Harris – Harry Potter
Did you know that Richard Harris initially played Dumbledore? In the first two films, we’re introduced to Albus and his school of magic, but sadly, Harris died in 2002, which meant it was time to recast the old archmage. That’s where Michael Gambon came in and saved the franchise.
