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Jonah Hill was going to be in the hit 2010 movie by David Fincher that everyone was talking about. This isn’t anything new. Hollywood is full of stories of actors turning down famous projects. From Brad Pitt and Will Smith turned downThe Matrixto Claire Danes and Gwyneth Paltrow turning downTitanic, a lot of actors have to live with regrets.
So why is Jonah Hill’s story different? Because his story is part of the other group of actors. This group doesn’t get projects offered to them that they can turn down and even if they badly want to be in film, they don’t get it. Something similar happened with Hill when he was vying for this film that went on to win an Oscar.
Jonah Hill Wanted To Star In Hit David Fincher Film, But The Director Didn’t Want Him
The Social Network, a biography of Mark Zuckerberg and his Facebook, was made by David Fincher on a budget of $40 million and grossed $224 million globally. The film got eight Academy Award nominations at the 2011 Academy Awards and won three. This was for Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The film stars Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, and Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker. However, this wasn’t always the desired cast. Once upon a time, other actors, notablyJonah Hill, were in contention for the role of Sean Parker. But he revealed onThe Bill Simmons Podcastin October 2018 that Fincher didn’t want him.
Read More:“By the end of the night, he was throwing up into a trash bin”: Jonah Hill’s Revenge on Leonardo Dicaprio Because He ‘Beat the Crap Out of Him for 7 Months’
“Low-key, [director] David Fincher, or high-key, David Fincher didn’t want me in Social Network. It was between me and Justin Timberlake for that part. Obviously, [Fincher’s] the man, but he was not having me. The studio wanted me, I think, and then Justin Timberlake was amazing in it. Social Network is the one that I was actually, like, years later, was like, ‘F—k, like, I’m so bummed.'”
But Hill is still all praise for the movie. He said, “That’s a movie I watch on a loop. You can watch that movie anytime.” Even though Fincher straight up dismissing the actor feels cruel, many fans think there’s a reason behind the acclaimed director’s decision.
Read More:“It immediately goes to the bathroom in my mouth”: PETA Wouldn’t Let Jonah Hill Eat a Goldfish in The Wolf of Wall Street, Asked Him To Spit it Out after 3 Seconds
Why Didn’t David Fincher Cast Jonah Hill InThe Social Network?
From Jonah Hill’s interview onThe Bill Simmons Podcast,it seems like the studio was in favor of casting him. ButDavid Fincherwasn’t on board with the idea. Many have speculated that he cast Justin Timberlake, a popstar, to generate hype among general audiences for the project. However, others have a different point of view.
Read More:‘Important Step to Protect Myself’: Jonah Hill Blames Anxiety Attacks as Reason Why He Stopped Promoting Movies
Many think that Fincher passed on Hill because back then he was known as a comedic actor. It wasn’t until his role inMoneyballthat grabbed him an Oscar nomination, that he began to be treated as a serious star. His second Academy Award nomination forThe Wolf of Wall Streetfurther cemented that status. Now, Hill has established himself as a serious dramatic actor who has a reputed career.
The Social Networkis available on Netflix.
Source:The Bill Simmons Podcast
Ishita Chatterjee
Content Writer
Articles Published :752
Ishita is an Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows, with over 700 articles published. She has been working in the entertainment and pop-culture niche for more than 4 years. With a English Literature degree, Ishita generally covers news and analyses on Foundation, Ted Lasso, Severance, and more.A lifelong DC fan, Ishita spends her time watching and re-watching everything in the DC universe (yes, even including the Arrowverse shows).
