Imagine Brad Pitt screaming, “I am a golden God,” as the charismatic Russell Hammond in Almost Famous. Sounds ironic, right? But believe it or not, that near-moment almost happened. In a throwback, director Cameron Crowe revealed that Pitt was initially tapped to play the lead guitarist of the fictional rock band Stillwater. Instead, Billy Crudup ultimately brought the role to life, but the casting process was much more star-studded than you might think.
In the early stages, Crowe had his sights set on Pitt. The two had an undeniable connection after an extraordinary meeting during Say Anything, and when Crowe started working on Almost Famous, Pitt was his first choice. Crowe recalled, “Brad Pitt was on my mind… he just really had something.” For months, they worked on the character, even reading with none other than Natalie Portman, who was in the running for the role of Penny Lane—the band-aid (or groupie) who steals the heart of young journalist William Miller. But alas, neither Pitt nor Portman ended up in those roles, and Crowe was unhappy.
“I wept,” Crowe admitted. “I knew that [Brad Pitt] had never fully fallen in love with the character. He had fallen in love with the idea of the character, but maybe there just wasn’t enough on the page.” Pitt’s hesitation likely stemmed from the uncomfortable age gap between Russell and Penny Lane, which didn’t sit right with him. The talented Billy Crudup eventually filled the role of Russell, and the rest is history.
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Now, about Natalie Portman. While she was undoubtedly a major name after Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, her version of Penny Lane never materialized. Crowe said Portman read with Pitt, but the role ultimately went to Kate Hudson, who knocked it out of the park and won a Golden Globe for her performance. But can you imagine Portman in the role? It’s not far from her Garden State character, with that free-spirited vibe and quirky charm.
Meryl Streep, though, was considered for the role of Elaine Miller, William’s quirky and overprotective mother. Streep’s reputation for transforming into any role made her a strong contender, but McDormand’s unique energy made the part hers.
Ultimately, Almost Famous became the breakout film for a perfectly imperfect cast. Crowe’s heartbroken reaction to Pitt’s exit was a testament to how close the film came to being a totally different kind of iconic.
In the end, Almost Famous worked out precisely as it was meant to, with the quirky chemistry of Hudson, Crudup, and McDormand creating magic. While Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, and Natalie Portman would undoubtedly have added star power, we’ll always have that “golden God” moment to imagine. Almost.
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