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Nick Nolte missed two big opportunities to be a significant name in pop culture. Despite his popularity as a leading man in the industry, the actor could not bag a chance to work with George Lucas, not once but twice. While many fans know he was a potential candidate to play Indiana Jones inRaiders of the Lost Ark, he was also in the mix to play a prominent character inStar Wars.
After starting his career as a model, Nick Nolte got his big breakthrough an Emmy-nominated performance in the 1976 miniseriesRich Man, Poor Man.Following the show, the actor also went on to bag some prominent hits and critically appreciated roles likeThe Prince of Tides.
However, Nick Nolte’s journey to stardom could have been much easier, had he got to play Han Solo or Luke Skywalker in George Lucas’ 1977 space-opera flick.
How did Nick Nolte involve himself withStar Wars?
When George Lucas first conceptualizedStar Wars, the visual effects and the grand scaling were his major concerns. As revealed by casting director Dianne Crittenden in an interview withEmpire, the makers called everyone and saw at least 3,500 people to star in the classic-“Anyone even vaguely in the right age-group came in to see us.”
“A lot of fans would have hated it”: George Lucas’ Idea for His Star Wars Sequel Was So Bizarre That Even His Ardent Fans Would Have Found Hard to Defend
Several reports state thatNick Noltewas also in this massive crowd as a potential candidate for Han Solo, the role that later went on to Harrison Ford and made him a household name. But it looks like Solo was not the only character he wanted to play.
According to Dianne Crittenden,Mark Hamillwas not the initial choice to play the protagonist Luke Skywalker. Crittenden stated that she liked Nick Nolte’s audition for Luke but George Lucas felt that the DC actor reflected more of the farmer look that was desired for the role.
There were some people I really liked who didn’t get roles. I liked Nick Nolte for Luke… I don’t remember much of Mark Hamill. I don’t want to say it in a way that’s unflattering, but there was something that was maybe a little bleaker about Mark that George felt would make him more the farmer who was in over his head.
Although Nick Nolte failed to bag the firstStar Warsfilm, his destiny played a fascinating part and made him return to the franchise withThe Mandalorianseries. The star who almost starred as Luke Skywalker or Han Solo voiced the character of Kuiil in the Pedro Pascal series. Kuiil is also hailed as one of the best characters from the Disney+Star Warsshow.
Star Warswas not the only major miss by Nick Nolte
After the mess withStar Wars, Nick Nolte’s luck offered him another shot at working under George Lucas. He was almost a part of 1981’sRaiders of the Lost Ark, which kickstarted theIndiana Jonesfranchise. Similar to the Han Solo scenario, Nolte gave away another good chance toHarrison Fordby turning down the titular role.
The franchise produced by George Lucas became one of the most popular IPs and gave another major push to Harrison Ford’s career. Nonetheless, Nick Nolte’s list of missed opportunities doesn’t end here as theTropic Thunderactor also turned downSuperman.
“I wouldn’t want to do anything to dispel the mystery”: 1 Star Wars Actor Found Delving Deep Into George Lucas’ World ‘Pointless’ to Play One of Key Roles in the Franchise
Before Christopher Reeve immortalized his version of Kal-El in the 1978 film, the makers had a very strange list of candidates for the role. In an interview withInsider, Nolte confessed that he sabotaged his career by uniquely rejecting the Richard Donner classic. To force the makers to pass on him, theHulkactor said he would only do it if the character was schizophrenic.
It is unfortunate that Nick Nolte got many chances to be a pop culture favorite but failed to utilize any of them.
TheStar WarsandIndiana Jonesmovies can be streamed on Disney+.
Subham Mandal
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1461
Subham Mandal is currently working as a content writer for FandomWire with an ardent interest in the world of pop culture. He has written more than 1000 articles on different spheres of modern pop culture and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He’s also an experienced student journalist having demonstrated work experience with the Times of India. He aspires to be a column writer in the future.
