James Corden Almost Starred in The Whale

While Brendan Fraser seems on track to earn an Academy Award nomination for his role in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, another star was originally set to appear in the film.

In Deadline‘s recent wrap up of the year, it’s mentioned that actor James Corden was originally set to star in the role that Fraser did. According to The Late Late Show with James Corden host, he was originally slotted to play the role when fashion designer and director Tom Ford was set to make the film.

According to Corden, however, the project ended up never coming together due to Ford wanting “complete control” over the project, with Corden also noting that he believes he might have been too young to do the project any justice. When mentioned to Aronofsky, the director confirmed the news of what The Whale could have been.

With the film now out and Fraser receiving massive praise for his role, however, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the part.

Joining Fraser are Sadie Sink (Stranger Things, Fear Street), Hong Chau (Inherent Vice, Watchmen), Samantha Morton (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Walking Dead), Ty Simpkins (Insidious), and Sathya Sridharan.

Based on Samuel D. Hunter’s 2012 play of the same name, The Whale is set on the outskirts of Mormon Country, Idaho, and follows the story of a six-hundred-pound recluse as he hides away in his apartment eating himself to death. “Desperate to reconnect with his long-estranged daughter, he reaches out to her, only to find a viciously sharp-tongued and wildly unhappy teen,” reads the synopsis for the film. The film is directed by Darren Aronofsky from a screenplay adapted by Hunter.