What if Al Pacino had played Han Solo in ‘Star Wars’?
THE BACKSTORY:Pacino in the mid-70s is what all actors dream of.
Fame fromThe Godfatherled to three straight Best Actor nominations from 1973 to 1975.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; A New Hope: Lucasfilm; Pacino: Everett Collection
There was just one problem, he added: I didnt understand the script.
A few months afterStar Warsarrived, Pacinos hot streak ended with the flopBobby Deerfield.
THE VERDICT:Probably for the best.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Breaking Bad: Doug Hyun/AMC; Broderick: Jemal Countess/Wireimage
(A more fun counterfactual: envisioning aScarface-era Pacino shooting Greedo with a laser machine gun.)
Darren Franich
What if Matthew Broderick had played Walter White in Breaking Bad?
“We were like, ‘Really?
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Raiders of the Lost Ark: Lucasfilm; Selleck: Everett Collection
Isnt there anybody else?'”
But Broderick passed, as did John Cusack, and Cranston ended up with the role of a lifetime.
Keith Staskiewicz
What if Tom Selleck had played Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark?
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; X;Files: Larry Watson/Fox; Anderson: Ron Gelella/Wireimage
Bill Keith
What if Pamela Anderson had played Dana Scully on The X-Files?
THE BACKSTORY:The truth is out there: Not all Andersons are alike.
“They were looking for someone bustier, taller, leggier than me.”
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Clueless: Elliot Marks; Gellar: Ron Gelella/Wireimage
Sara Vilkomerson
What if Sarah Michelle Gellar had played Cher in Clueless?
THE BACKSTORY:Could Buffy have pulled off an Alaia so spectacularly?
The role instead went to another up-and-comer, Alicia Silverstone.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Alley McBeal: Everett Collection; Fonda: Steve Granitz/Wireimage
Gillian Telling
What if Bridget Fonda had played Ally McBeal on Ally McBeal?
But what might have been?
Calista Flockhart scored the part instead and danced (with a CGI baby) into TV history.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Pretty Woman: Kobal Collection; Ringwald: Getty Images
It may work as well as it does because of Calista."
(Flockhart is back in prime time with CBSSupergirl.)
Christopher Rosen
What if Molly Ringwald had played Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman?
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Brokeback Mountain: Kimberly French; Phoenix; Jeff Kravitz/Wireimage; Damon: Wireimage
“It was her part.
Every actor hopes for a part that lets them shine like that.”
Dont worry, Molly, you were perfect in plenty of iconic films.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Ghost: Everett Collection; Willis: Ron Gelella/Wireimage
And kissing Jake Ryan?
Gillian Telling
What if Matt Damon and Joaquin Phoenix had played Ennis and Jack in Brokeback Mountain?
Damon thought the job would have felt repetitive for him.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD ROBERTS for EW; Matrix: Jasin Boland; Smith: Getty Images
I cant follow it up with a gay-cowboy movie!
THE VERDICT:Hard to tell.
But its hard to argue with the quietly heartrending film we actually got.
Keith Staskiewicz
What if Bruce Willis had played Sam Wheat in Ghost?
He eventually did play a ghost inThe Sixth Sense,and it didnt hurt his career one bit.
Bill Keith
What if Will Smith had played Neo in The Matrix?
Keanu Reeves, of course, became the one to swallow the red pill.
