George Lucas knew who he wanted for each role, so casting theStar Warsprequel trilogy was one of the most grueling challenges for him. The boy who would become the biggest villain in the galaxy, a young star that would need to play a monarch, and an actor to be the comic relief in Jar Jar Binks were just some of the few that Lucas knew would need to be perfectly cast. Obi-Wan Kenobi was also a hard role to fill as his younger incarnation needed to satisfy fans of Alex Guinness, who took on role in the first three films. Not only did his role need to be filled, but his masterQui-Gon Jinnas well.
Liam Neeson wasn’t Lucas’ first choice, but he was perfect for the role. He was first seen in the franchise inStar Wars: The Phantom Menace, which is incidentally also the last film he was seen in. Lucas had a variety of other American actors to play a role that had a significant impact on the beloved Obi-Wan Kenobi such as Kurt Russell, Kyle Maclachlan, and even Tom Hanks. Here are six actors that were almost cast as Qui-Gon Jinn instead of Neeson.
Kyle Maclachlan
Before landing on Neeson for the role of Qui-Gon Jinn,Kyle Maclachlanwas almost chosen for the role. Maclachlan is best known for his roles inTwin PeaksandBlue Velvet, both of which weredirected by David Lynch. Lucas actually offered Lynch the opportunity to direct the filmReturn of the Jedi,which he turned down due to not having full creative control. Instead,he directedDune, which Maclachlan also had a role in due to his close relationship with the director.
Kurt Russell
Kurt Russellwas also considered for Neeson’s role in theStar Warsfranchise. Russell had also appeared in other iconic sci-fi films such asEscape from New YorkandThe Thing. Lucas considered putting Russell in theStar Warsuniverse in the first trilogy as Han Solo before Harrison Ford snatched the role. So later, when the prequel movies were in development, Lucas considered putting Russell inThe Phantom Menaceas Qui-Gon Jinn.
Related:These Guys Were Almost Han Solo in Star Wars, Not Harrison Ford
Denzel Washington
Denzel Washingtonquickly became a beloved actor in the 80s and 90s for movies likeGlory,Philadelphia,Malcolm X, andThe Pelican Brief. Washington was a strong consideration for Qui-Gon, but didn’t quite snag the part.IMDbsays that Neeson wanted to be in the film so bad that he didn’t even read the script before he signed on to the film. Since Washington didn’t get the part in theStar Warsuniverse, he instead spent his early-2000s starring in movies likeTraining Day, which he won an Oscar for, as well asMan on Fire.
Vin Diesel
Saving Private RyanmadeVin Diesela household name before theFast & Furiousfranchise was ever considered to hit theaters. Since he first introduced the world to Dominic Toretto, Diesel has become one of the biggest stars in the world. However, not a lot of people knew he was also considered for the part of Qui-Gon Jinn. One of the main reasons why he did not get the role was because he wasn’t as old as Neeson. Qui-Gon was meant to be a wise, old Jedi, and a young Diesel would not have been a good fit for theStar Warsworld.
Related:Obi-Wan Kenobi: 5 Actors Who Were Almost Cast as the Jedi Master
Tom Hankshad back-to-back Oscar wins in the 90s forPhiladelphiaandForrest Gump. Not only was he receiving Academy Awards, but Hanks was also involved in massive Hollywood box office hits such asSaving Private Ryan,Sleepless in Seattle, andA League of Their Own. Hanks was one of the biggest movies stars in the world at this point in time, so it was no surprise that Lucas was looking at him to star in one of his films.Dork Side of the Forceclaims that Lucas was looking for an American actor to play the role of Qui-Gon Jinn. Hanks himself even collaborated many times with Steven Spielberg, who is a close personal friend to Lucas, which is why he was put up for consideration in the first place.
Morgan Freeman
Qui-Gon Jinn was not always meant to be played by a white actor when Lucas first imagined the role. In the very early stages ofThe Phantom Menacedevelopment, Lucas strongly consideredMorgan Freemanto take the role of the wise master. After all, he was no stranger to playing a mentor. Freeman portrayed as much in films likeThe Shawshank Redemption,Se7en, andMillion Dollar Baby.He even took on the character of God who is the ultimate mentor in theAlmightymovies. Freeman was not able to enter theStar Warsuniverse but would’ve been a great addition otherwise.
