Did Micheal Fassbender almost mess up his role as Quentin Tarantino? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
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Hands down, Quentin Tarantino is an absolute legend, churning out movies that are as iconic as they are unmistakably his. From memorable characters to snappy dialogue, Tarantino’s films have a vibe, and A-listers like Samuel L. Jackson and Harvey Keitel are there to keep the magic alive.
But one standout collaboration got the fans talking: Michale Fassbender’s unforgettable role in Inglourious Bastards. Of course, Fassbender was already on the rise from his portrayal in Hunger and later blockbuster hits like X-Men: First Class and 12 Years an enslaved person. But his time with Tarantino? Absolutely one for the books, but did you know Fassbender almost blew his audition with the legend?
Michale Fassbender On Almost Blewing Quentin Tarantino’s Audition
It turns out that Michael Fassbender almost thought he had botched his shot at Inglourious Basterds. In a recent chat with Business Insider, the star spilled the tea and shared that he prepped like crazy for Colonel Hans Landa, only to find out in the audition room that he’d be reading for Lt. Archie Hicox instead.
He said, “Originally, I wanted Landa! I had prepped about 27 hours of Landa. I was shooting ‘Fish Tank’ then, and my agent said, ‘They’d like you to look at Hicox as well.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not going to have time to do both.’ I entered the room, and Tarantino said, ‘Okay, let’s look at Hicox.’ I said, ‘Do you think I could read for Landa?’ And he was like, ‘I cast Landa on Tuesday.’ I was like, ‘Okay, let’s read Hicox…’”
Fassbender continued, “I did a cold reading of it, and he read the other parts, which was surreal and intimidating. But I just went for it and was pretty sure I blew it. I called my parents straight away after I came out, and I was like, ‘I blew it. I messed it up.’”
While Christoph Waltz nailed Landa (and snagged an Oscar for it), Fassbender made Hicox unforgettable, especially in that edge-of-your-seat standoff scene. Despite the curveball, Fassbender delivered a performance that’s still one of the movie’s most iconic moments. Talk about turning a fumble into a win.
Michael Fassbender’s Role In Inglourious Basterds
Though Michael Fassbender did not land the showy role of Hans Landa, his performance as Lt. Archie Hicox remains iconic. And the bar standoff scene? It is pure Tarantino brilliance, with Fassbender at its core. Moreover, his characters slip up, and the flashing English ‘three’ instead of the German gesture adds an intense showdown. Fassbender undoubtedly left his mark, making Hicox a standout in Tarantino’s World War II epic.
