John Cusack and Hugh Grant Were the First Choices to Play the Lead on 'Hannibal'
Hannibal has become a cult TV favorite.
The show, which aired for three seasons between 2013 and 2015, is best known for Mads Mikkelsen's distinctive portrayal of Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
As creator Bryan Fuller detailed, NBC originally wanted to cast John Cusack or Hugh Grant in the role instead.
A large part of what that Hannibal fans love so much about the show is actor Mads Mikkelsen's performance as the titular serial killer/cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter—a performance that we now know almost didn't happen at all. In a recent interview with Collider, show creator Bryan Fuller explained that while he wanted to cast Mikkelsen in the role all along, NBC had other names in mind: John Cusack and Hugh Grant.
Fuller said in the interview that there was a "casting kerfuffle" when the show was first coming together due to a difference of opinion in what his team wanted and what a NBC wanted as far as the leading man goes.
"I think the network wanted somebody that was much more poppy, much more mainstream, much more American I think in some ways," he said. "That was just them thinking about, ‘Okay how do we get the biggest audience for our television show? We have to cast John Cusack as Hannibal Lecter and everybody will tune in because won’t that be surprising?’ I was like, ‘Well go ahead, make an offer.’”
And, as Fuller details, he wasn't kidding. He told NBC to make offers to their choices—Cusack and Hugh Grant—but predicted they would decline. All the while, he was suggesting and championing for Mikkelsen to get the role, but he wasn't allowed to move forward with it until the network took their shot at those other two actors.
“There was some resistance to Mads Mikkelsen because he was European, because he was somebody who you could look at and go, ‘Yeah I buy that he eats people,’” Fuller said. “We were dealing with a very American network that wanted a very American actor to sell to American audiences, and all the creatives on the show wanted somebody who was the best person for the role.”
Eventually, after a 3-4 month process, Fuller was allowed to hire his guy and do the show his way.
“It was an interesting dance because I’d say, ‘Mads Mikkelsen!’ and they’d say, ‘No, how about Hugh Grant?’ and I’d say, ‘Great, make an offer, he’s gonna say no,’ then they’d make an offer and he’d say no, and I’d be like, ‘What about Mads Mikkelsen?’ and they’d be like, ‘Well what about John Cusack?’ and I’d say, ‘Great, make an offer, he’s gonna say no’ and they’d make an offer and he’d say no, I’d say, ‘What about Mads Mikkelsen?’ That carousel went around for three or four months after we had cast Hugh [Dancy], it was going on for a while. Finally I just said, ‘Mads is the guy, that’s the guy I see in the role and I have to write it and I have to champion it and I have to understand it,’ and Jennifer Salke at NBC bless her heart was like, ‘Okay, that’s your guy. I believe you and trust you and I’m excited about your vision for the show’.”
Hannibal aired for three low-rated, wonderfully creative (and creatively demented) seasons on NBC between 2013 and 2015, but has since gone on to develop a Twin Peaks-esque cult following. Mikkelsen's performance, expertly balancing between charming and deranged, is probably the biggest reason why. With the show growing a larger audience and coming to Netflix in June 2020, there's been renewed interest in a potential Season 4—whether or not that will happen in the coming years remains to be seen. Our fingers are crossed.
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