Tim Curry opened up about one of the biggest regrets of his career: missing out on the opportunity to audition for Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. The 79-year-old icon, best known for her role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter on The Rocky Horror Picture Show, shared the story in a recent interview.
Despite landing roles like Pennywise in It, the villain has taken a backseat due to client issues. His frank thinking sheds light on Hollywood’s questions.
Tim Curry regrets not auditioning for Hannibal Lecter.
According to the interview with People, Tim Curry read the script for The Silence of the Lambs and felt a strong attraction to the cannibal psychiatrist. “One of my big regrets is that I read the script for ‘Silence of the Lambs’ and wanted so badly to play Hannibal Lecter,” he admitted during his talk in the academy’s Margaret Herrick Library.
His agent hit a wall. “My agent couldn’t get me in the room, but Tony Hopkins did a great job,” Curry admitted sweetly.
Hopkins won an Academy Award for his dramatic role in the 1991 thriller.
Tim Curry auditioned for the role of the villain in Home Alone
Carrey auditioned for Marv in Home Alone, meeting director Chris Columbus. He remembers the process fondly but noted that Daniel Stern got the role. Carrey mocked the actors’ comments, saying, “The only time any casting director has ever said that.”
He appeared in Home Alone 2 as the receptionist Hector. Carrey spoke warmly of the young Macaulay Culkin, saying that Culkin would watch movies late at night and fall asleep in the makeup chair.
Malcolm’s Jurassic Park Experience
Carrey also tried out Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park, who was eventually played by Jeff Goldblum. Like other evil shows, it didn’t work out. These near misses showcase his knack for dealing with eccentric opponents.
Tim Curry’s famous evil legacy
Carrey’s career boasts memorable villains from “Clue’s Wadsworth” to “The Hunt for Red October’s Dr. Petrobitch.” Fans often portray him as Lecter, due to his menacing charisma. At age 79, his recovery from a stroke turned him to voice work. His new memoir, Vagabond, details a life from military brat to Broadway star in Spamalot and Hair. Carrey celebrates transformations after health scare, embraces voice roles on Muppet Treasure Island and more.