Steven Spielberg remembered how Tom Selleck almost played Indiana Jones . The director revealed that Selleck was his first choice for the role of this iconic character. The image of Indiana Jones was immortalized by Harrison Ford.
Steven Spielberg says he originally wanted Tom Selleck to play Indiana Jones.
During a recent appearance on IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, Steven Spielberg recalled how Tom Selleck almost played Indiana Jones. In a conversation with the former First Lady, Spielberg discussed his initial decision about the iconic role.
The Academy Award-winning director said he and George Lucas, who created the character, "both discovered and decided that Tom Selleck should play Indiana Jones" in the 1981 film "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.".
«"[Selleck] came in and auditioned for the role. He was good," Spielberg shared, adding, "His audition went well. I really liked it.".
The director continued, "But that's where the threads of fate didn't cross with Tom. We wanted Tom. We gave Tom the role, and unbeknownst to us, he had an existing contract with CBS to appear in Magnum, P.I.... When they heard we wanted Tom, they immediately launched production on Magnum, P.I., thereby depriving Tom of the opportunity to star in Indiana Jones.".
Selleck himself has spoken in the past about how he almost landed the role of Indiana Jones. In a 1997 interview, the Magnum, P.I. star said, "Frankly, I'm a little ashamed of it all, because there's no Indiana Jones but Harrison Ford. He's unforgettable in that role. That's his accomplishment. I just hope Harrison doesn't think I'm running around saying, 'I was the first choice for Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.'".
In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE magazine, after the publication of his memoir, Selleck recalled, "When I walked into the room to audition, it was just those two: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. I didn't feel particularly nervous.".
In an interview with Michelle Obama, Spielberg recalled how he later cast Harrison Ford in the role after George Lucas showed him a cut of his film Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, in which Ford played Han Solo.
The original article was prepared by Namrata Ghosh for Com Soon.