14 DAY TRIAL // There’s no shortage of actors looking to play the Steve Jobs part in Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming biopic, despite what the media will have you believe. High-profile names – who haven’t yet been revealed as contenders to the role – approached the producers by their own volition, according to emails leaked by hackers this week.
The first time the media caught wind of the project, the name George Clooney was being tossed around as a potential candidate to the role. Then, when things cemented a little, the producers looked at Leo DiCaprio and Christian Bale. Both dropped out after finding that they had better things to do than to play this particular role.
After much debate and a shift in studios (now the movie is Universal’s property), the producers decided on Michael Fassbender. But, as everything in the Sorkin-penned biopic, nothing seems set in stone with this movie.
Sorkin wanted Cruise
An email exchange between Sorkin and the producers of the movie (leaked as part of the Sony breach reported earlier this week) reveals that the playwright initially wanted Tom Cruise to play the role. Mainly because he’s good at articulating stuff and he feels at home on a stage. The movie, divided in three half-hour scenes, will reportedly show Jobs preparing for three product unveilings that were instrumental in the evolution of Apple Inc.
Sorkin wrote in an e-mail to the producers, “I've gotten Scott and Danny to the point where they're now a little interested in Tom Cruise. Though both remain concerned about his age (me less so) everyone agrees that he's an actor who can really handle language.”
In a followup email, he added, “I just got off the phone with Danny [Boyle] who's concerned about the age but I think I got him thinking about it and he's going to look at some scenes from Lions for Lambs where Tom's basically auditioning for Jobs [...] I think it would be [a] dazzling performance.”
Matthew McConaughey and Tobey McGuire wanted in
When heavyweights DiCaprio and Bale refused to play Jobs, some thought the role, as contoured by Sorkin, could be too tough. Tobey McGuire and Matthew McConaughey didn’t think so at all. They actually approached those involved with the production by their own volition as they were interested in the part, according to the leaked emails. It isn’t clear if they actually auditioned for the role.
Tom Hanks himself wanted in, but not for the role of Jobs. Rather, Hanks wanted to play John Sculley, which reports now say will be played by Jeff Daniels. Natalie Portman was also part of the project until recently, when she herself dropped out of a leading female role for unknown reasons.
The actors who are still on board waiting for the shooting to begin early next year include Seth Rogen, who will play Steve Wozniak, and Michael Fassbender, who will play Jobs.
