For all our endless talk in recent months about how well new stars Aaron Eckhart and, especially, Heath Ledger would fit in with the rest of the Gotham city crowd, one thing we’ve never revisited is what we make of the original cast — so beyond reproach, in our minds, are Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and the rest of the “Batman Begins” veterans.
But at least one of those now familiar faces was almost quite different, Oscar winner Chris Cooper revealed to MTV News, admitting that he was initially offered the role of Lt. James Gordon well before Gary Oldman took the reigns.
“I was approached about that and chose not to do it,” he matter of factly confessed.
According to the “Adaptation” star, declining the role had less to do with the character itself than it did the time he would be forced to spend away from his family on such a big-budget enterprise.
“If I’m going to choose a particular role and be away from home for months on end — whether it’s a long shoot or a short shoot, I’m going to put my energies into it — it’s something I want to be totally involved with,” he insisted. “I don’t like to work back to back — just work for work’s sake. I like to do one job, go home and recuperate and look for another piece of material once I’m ready.”
Even now that the movie has become a worldwide phenomenon, Cooper says that, looking back, he has no regrets.
“Not at all,” he insisted. “There’s any number of scripts that I passed on — some that got huge recognition — but I have no regrets.”
In our never ending game of “what if” casting, Cooper as Gordon is a doozy. What do you think he’d have made of the role? Sound off below.
March 4th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I like Chris Cooper. But it’s hard to imagine a Gary Oldman character with anyone else. He’s always brilliant.
March 5th, 2008 at 10:31 am
i think cooper is really kicking himself but as an actor puts up a great front. oldman was good for the role cooper would have sourpussed it
March 5th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
no way, gary oldman IS gordon. he looks like they took him straight out of year one. cooper, while an amazing actor, could not do that and im glad he passed on the role.
March 5th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
They’re both amazing actors, but I really think Oldman has nailed the look/character of Gordan. Its also nice, for once, to see Oldman as a good guy. I’m sure Cooper would’ve done a great job as well, however.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:56 am
I agree that Oldman is an amazing Gordon. However, I don’t doubt that Cooper would have been a great Gordon as well. But we as a viewing public already have Oldman etched in our mind as Gordon, which is why some may find it difficult to imagine Cooper in the role. But both men are great actors.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I like Cooper & think he’s a great actor but Gary Oldman is still my favorite. He IS an amazing Gordon!
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March 6th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Gary Oldman brings WAY more to the character…
This whole article is kind of stupid, though….
Vego Mortisson(sp?) was offered Ra’s and turned it down AND Anthony Hopkins turned down ‘Alfred’.
There’s millions of different reasons why an actor may or may not take a job…
March 7th, 2008 at 1:44 am
Interestingly, this is actually not the first time GO and Cooper were up for the same role. Gary was considered for the part Chris won his Oscar for: “Adaptation” and since he’s my favorite actor of all time I’m still crying over the spilt milk of he and my favorite actress of all time, Meryl, not getting to work together!
March 7th, 2008 at 1:44 am
I cannot imagine anyone but Gary Oldman as Gordon, have to say thank god it all worked out in the end. And also as much as I love Viggo Mortenson and think he’s one of the 5 best actors in the world, i cannot imagine anyone but Liam Neeson as Ra’s, the way he went from righteous mentor to the most dangerous person on the planet was amazing. And the less said about anthony hopkins the better, dude is only considered a good actor because he has a high class british voice.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Chris Cooper is a great actor. He´s won an Academy Award. But he must me feeling a little regret about having decline the role. Thank God he did, Gary is so much better in it.