Live Poll: Actors Who Were the First and Only Choice for the Role

@Breumaster​ 

Robert Anderson ... do towels count the same?

Sorry, wrong Thread. My postings are for your underpants-threat. ;)

@mariojacobs, WOW!! 

I like where this poll suggestion ended up. It looks really good and structurally is pretty sound with a lot of great answer options.

I still think it could benefit from a shorter title, like "Favorite First and Only Actor Role Choices". Especially, now that the question and title are similarly phrased.

But, I guess it is a matter of personally preference and there is nothing inherently wrong with the one you currently have. I have been known to have a few longer titles myself.

Favorite First and Only Actor Role Choices vs.

Actors Who Were the First and Only Choice for the Role

@urbanemovies​ thank you for all your feedbacks, but in this case, I like the long version better👍.

@mariojacobs,

I understand, the longer version is a bit a clearer.

​

@mariojacobs ,

Thank you for adding @Pencho15 and my suggestions.

As you can tell from the Google search (https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aimdb.com+%22Only+Choice%22+trivia) there are quite a few examples of actors and actresses being the first and only choice for a role. The challenge with this poll is to determine the most notable actors and actresses.

Here are a five more to fill out your poll to 35 choices:

El Cid (1961) Trivia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054847/trivia?item=tr1906111

Charlton Heston was the first and only choice of the producers [to play El Cid Rodrigo de Vivar].

The Incredible Hulk (1977–1982) Trivia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077031/trivia?item=tr0681974

In an interview from the season 3 DVD set, Kenneth Johnson stated that Bill Bixby was his "first and only choice" for the role of Dr. David Banner.

Being There (1979) Trivia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078841/trivia?item=tr0652207

After the novel's release and the subsequent purchase of rights to the book, Peter Sellers successfully lobbied for the lead role by sending a telegram to author Jerzy Kosinski with the message, "Gardener available for work". It was during casting and after the success of the later Pink Panther movies that Sellers became the only choice for the lead role [Chance].

The Shape of Water (2017) Trivia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5580390/trivia?item=tr3679314

Director Guillermo del Toro said about Sally Hawkins, "Not only was she the first choice, she was the only choice. I wrote the movie for Sally, I wrote the movie for Michael [Shannon]... Sally is -- I wanted the character of Elisa Esposito to be beautiful, in her own way, not in a way that is like a perfume commercial kind of way. That you could believe that this character, this woman would be sitting next to you on the bus. But at the same time she would have a luminosity, a beauty, almost magical, ethereal."

Strangers on a Train (1951) Trivia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044079/trivia?item=tr2036000

While working on this movie, Robert Walker was delighted to find out that he was Sir Alfred Hitchcock's only choice for Bruno Antony.

@mariojacobs ,

Thank you for adding my last five suggestions. Your poll is now at the maximum of 35 choices.

@mariojacobs and @Pencho15​ ,

My bad. I tried to avoid suggesting people who were already on the list.

4. Eddie Redmayne  is already on the list.

Please remove:

30. Eddie Redmayne

For your consideration:

Sanford and Son (1972–1977) Trivia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068128/trivia?item=tr0669108

Redd Foxx and LaWanda Page had been friends since childhood, and she was his first and only choice to play Aunt Esther Anderson, Fred's sister-in-law. Producers wanted to fire Page due to her inexperience on-camera, but Foxx threatened to quit the show if Page was fired.

@mariojacobs,

Thank you for removing the duplicate Eddie Redmayne.

Again, sorry for missing that I suggested something that was already on your list.