1 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Lisa Kudrow was originally hired to play Roz Doyle on Frasier.
Helen Hunt was originally hired to play Diane Chambers on Cheers.
ANSWER: From our own Kara Kovalchik's "Fun 'Frasier' Facts You Might Not Know" article: The role of Frasier’s producer was the least developed when the pilot script was written. A casting call was announced and the role was eventually whittled down to two actresses: Lisa Kudrow and Peri Gilpin. The producers found Kudrow to be extremely funny, and able to make even the most mundane lines sound hilarious, so she was hired. During the first few days of rehearsals for the pilot episode, however, the writers found themselves having to re-write the characters of Roz and Frasier. It seemed that while Lisa was funny, she just couldn’t play “forceful.” It soon became apparent that that the role of Roz would have to fall to someone who, although less educated than Dr. Crane, would be in control of things at the radio station. They needed a character who could hold her own whenever Frasier became too pompous, and that someone was Peri Gilpin. Lisa was a trouper when the news was delivered, and landing a role on Friends the following year certainly helped to ease her pain. From our own Kara Kovalchik's "Fun 'Frasier' Facts You Might Not Know" article: The role of Frasier’s producer was the least developed when the pilot script was written. A casting call was announced and the role was eventually whittled down to two actresses: Lisa Kudrow and Peri Gilpin. The producers found Kudrow to be extremely funny, and able to make even the most mundane lines sound hilarious, so she was hired. During the first few days of rehearsals for the pilot episode, however, the writers found themselves having to re-write the characters of Roz and Frasier. It seemed that while Lisa was funny, she just couldn’t play “forceful.” It soon became apparent that that the role of Roz would have to fall to someone who, although less educated than Dr. Crane, would be in control of things at the radio station. They needed a character who could hold her own whenever Frasier became too pompous, and that someone was Peri Gilpin. Lisa was a trouper when the news was delivered, and landing a role on Friends the following year certainly helped to ease her pain.
ANSWER: The Truth, from our own Kara Kovalchik's "Fun 'Frasier' Facts You Might Not Know" article: The role of Frasier’s producer was the least developed when the pilot script was written. A casting call was announced and the role was eventually whittled down to two actresses: Lisa Kudrow and Peri Gilpin. The producers found Kudrow to be extremely funny, and able to make even the most mundane lines sound hilarious, so she was hired. During the first few days of rehearsals for the pilot episode, however, the writers found themselves having to re-write the characters of Roz and Frasier. It seemed that while Lisa was funny, she just couldn’t play “forceful.” It soon became apparent that that the role of Roz would have to fall to someone who, although less educated than Dr. Crane, would be in control of things at the radio station. They needed a character who could hold her own whenever Frasier became too pompous, and that someone was Peri Gilpin. Lisa was a trouper when the news was delivered, and landing a role on Friends the following year certainly helped to ease her pain. The Truth, from our own Kara Kovalchik's "Fun 'Frasier' Facts You Might Not Know" article: The role of Frasier’s producer was the least developed when the pilot script was written. A casting call was announced and the role was eventually whittled down to two actresses: Lisa Kudrow and Peri Gilpin. The producers found Kudrow to be extremely funny, and able to make even the most mundane lines sound hilarious, so she was hired. During the first few days of rehearsals for the pilot episode, however, the writers found themselves having to re-write the characters of Roz and Frasier. It seemed that while Lisa was funny, she just couldn’t play “forceful.” It soon became apparent that that the role of Roz would have to fall to someone who, although less educated than Dr. Crane, would be in control of things at the radio station. They needed a character who could hold her own whenever Frasier became too pompous, and that someone was Peri Gilpin. Lisa was a trouper when the news was delivered, and landing a role on Friends the following year certainly helped to ease her pain.
2 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Stuart Townsend was originally cast as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Daniel Day Lewis was originally cast as Captain Jack Sparrow in The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.
ANSWER: The Truth: Stuart Townsend was originally cast as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Truth: Stuart Townsend was originally cast as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
3 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Val Kilmer was nearly cast as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing.
Brad Pitt was nearly cast as Jareth in Labyrinth.
ANSWER: The Truth: Val Kilmer was nearly cast as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing. The Truth: Val Kilmer was nearly cast as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing.
4 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Warren Beatty turned down the offer to play Superman in the 1978 film version.
Cary Grant turned down the offer to play James Bond in the 1962 film Dr. No.
ANSWER: The Truth, from Ransom Riggs: Despite being Bond producer Albert Broccoli’s best man, Grant said “I don’t” to the offer, and Sean Connery got the role instead. Of course, many studio executives objected to the decision, and even Bond creator Ian Fleming said Connery “wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.” The Truth, from Ransom Riggs: Despite being Bond producer Albert Broccoli’s best man, Grant said “I don’t” to the offer, and Sean Connery got the role instead. Of course, many studio executives objected to the decision, and even Bond creator Ian Fleming said Connery “wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
ANSWER: From Ransom Riggs: Despite being Bond producer Albert Broccoli’s best man, Grant said “I don’t” to the offer, and Sean Connery got the role instead. Of course, many studio executives objected to the decision, and even Bond creator Ian Fleming said Connery “wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.” From Ransom Riggs: Despite being Bond producer Albert Broccoli’s best man, Grant said “I don’t” to the offer, and Sean Connery got the role instead. Of course, many studio executives objected to the decision, and even Bond creator Ian Fleming said Connery “wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
5 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Emma Thompson was Kevin Smith's first choice to play God in Dogma.
Cher was originally cast as Morticia Addams in The Addams Family (the movie).
ANSWER: The Truth: Emma Thompson was Kevin Smith's first choice to play God in Dogma. The Truth: Emma Thompson was Kevin Smith's first choice to play God in Dogma.
6 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Jack Black was offered the role of Hagrid in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Sean Connery was offered the role of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings.
ANSWER: The Truth, from Ransom Riggs: In return for playing the role, New Line Cinema offered the Scottish actor up to 15 percent of worldwide box office receipts, which would have earned Connery more than any actor had ever been paid for a single role—as much as $400 million. The Truth, from Ransom Riggs: In return for playing the role, New Line Cinema offered the Scottish actor up to 15 percent of worldwide box office receipts, which would have earned Connery more than any actor had ever been paid for a single role—as much as $400 million.
ANSWER: The Truth, from Ransom Riggs: In return for playing the role, New Line Cinema offered the Scottish actor up to 15 percent of worldwide box office receipts, which would have earned Connery more than any actor had ever been paid for a single role—as much as $400 million. The Truth, from Ransom Riggs: In return for playing the role, New Line Cinema offered the Scottish actor up to 15 percent of worldwide box office receipts, which would have earned Connery more than any actor had ever been paid for a single role—as much as $400 million.
7 of 10
Which statement is not true?
John Cusack was strongly considered for the role of John Bender in The Breakfast Club.
Charlie Sheen was strongly considered for the role of Steff in Pretty in Pink.
ANSWER: The Truth: John Cusack was strongly considered for the role of John Bender in The Breakfast Club. The Truth: John Cusack was strongly considered for the role of John Bender in The Breakfast Club.
8 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Rue McClanahan was originally cast to play Rose Nylund and Betty White was supposed to play Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls.
Jean Smart was originally cast to play Suzanne Sugarbaker and Delta Burke was supposed to play Charlene Frazier Stillfield on Designing Women.
ANSWER: The Truth, from Kara Kovalchik: "When Rue McClanahan and Betty White were first hired for the series, it was with the intent of Betty playing man-hungry Blanche, and Rue the naïve Rose. However, both actresses felt that those roles were too similar to characters they’d recently played: Rue’s Vivian on Maude and Betty’s Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. They asked the producers if they could switch roles, and after the first table reading it was agreed that the change was a brilliant idea." The Truth, from Kara Kovalchik: "When Rue McClanahan and Betty White were first hired for the series, it was with the intent of Betty playing man-hungry Blanche, and Rue the naïve Rose. However, both actresses felt that those roles were too similar to characters they’d recently played: Rue’s Vivian on Maude and Betty’s Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. They asked the producers if they could switch roles, and after the first table reading it was agreed that the change was a brilliant idea."
9 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix.
Tom Cruise was the first choice for the role of Ray Kinsella in Field of Dreams.
ANSWER: From Ransom Riggs article in mental_floss magazine titled "5 Famous Actors and the Roles They Turned Down": In an interview with Wired, Will Smith said, “I would have absolutely messed up The Matrix. At that point I wasn’t smart enough as an actor to let the movie be—whereas Keanu was.” From Ransom Riggs article in mental_floss magazine titled "5 Famous Actors and the Roles They Turned Down": In an interview with Wired, Will Smith said, “I would have absolutely messed up The Matrix. At that point I wasn’t smart enough as an actor to let the movie be—whereas Keanu was.”
ANSWER: The Truth, from Ransom Riggs' article in mental_floss magazine titled "5 Famous Actors and the Roles They Turned Down": In an interview with Wired, Will Smith said, “I would have absolutely messed up The Matrix. At that point I wasn’t smart enough as an actor to let the movie be—whereas Keanu was.” The Truth, from Ransom Riggs' article in mental_floss magazine titled "5 Famous Actors and the Roles They Turned Down": In an interview with Wired, Will Smith said, “I would have absolutely messed up The Matrix. At that point I wasn’t smart enough as an actor to let the movie be—whereas Keanu was.”
10 of 10
Which statement is not true?
Matthew Broderick turned down the chance to play Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties.
Scott Baio was Robert Zemeckis' first choice to play Marty McFly in Back to the Future.
ANSWER: The Truth: Matthew Broderick turned down the chance to play Alex P. Keaton on
Family Ties. But the role of Marty McFly was originally played by Eric Stoltz. After filming had started, he was deemed not right for the part and replaced by Michael J. Fox.
Big Fat Lies! is a trivia challenge that presents you with two statements – one is true, the other is blatantly false. Your job is to spot the big fat lie. There are over 1,000 statements across several categories, covering history, science, business, entertainment and more. So if you've got an iPhone and $2.99, head on over to
the iTunes Store and let us know what you think. (That link
should open up your iTunes and send you right to
Big Fat Lies! page of the store. If not, you can search for "Big Fat Lies" and it will come right up.) The Truth: Matthew Broderick turned down the chance to play Alex P. Keaton on
Family Ties. But the role of Marty McFly was originally played by Eric Stoltz. After filming had started, he was deemed not right for the part and replaced by Michael J. Fox.
Big Fat Lies! is a trivia challenge that presents you with two statements – one is true, the other is blatantly false. Your job is to spot the big fat lie. There are over 1,000 statements across several categories, covering history, science, business, entertainment and more. So if you've got an iPhone and $2.99, head on over to
the iTunes Store and let us know what you think. (That link
should open up your iTunes and send you right to
Big Fat Lies! page of the store. If not, you can search for "Big Fat Lies" and it will come right up.)
