[Ennis] was the most difficult role to cast. And that seemed to be the perpetual problem as we went on. And even a little bit for [director] Ang [Lee]. Another actor had committed [to the role of Ennis] and we had suggested Heath. But the studio [Focus Features] didn’t feel he was macho enough. I thought that was a rather odd comment. But we just sort of stuck with it. And when that [other] actor backed out — and he did, after three months — I called Heath’s agent…It was interesting. Early on, Ang had wanted both the boys to be lifting weights and get all buff. Heath said, ‘You know, I’m the ranch hand [in the film]. I wouldn’t have time to be lifting weights. I’m kind of scrawny and young.’ He said, ‘I’m not going to do that.’ So he didn’t.”
— Diana Ossana, Brokeback Mountain‘s screenwriter, speaking about the film’s 10th anniversary in an interview with The Michelangelo Signorile Show
H/t: Gay Star News
Glücklich
Y’know, I enjoyed the movie when it came out. I saw it Christmas Day at Embarcadero Center that year. And I get that it was a big moment for us. But why are we still talking about it and dissecting the hell out of it after all this time? Will the next blurb be about whatever happened to that bloodied shirt?
tdh1980
@Glücklich: Because this year marks the tenth anniversary of the film’s theatrical release, and although it’s easy to forget a decade later, it had a large cultural impact at the time.
Ladbrook
Anyone know who the other actor was?
Kangol
@tdh1980: +1
Spike
@Ladbrook: Exactly this. And whomever the other actor was, has not discussed this apparently.
Glücklich
@Ladbrook:
It was Leslie Jordan but he was already committed to doing a stage adaptation of “Rambo: First Blood.”
Ladbrook
@Glücklich: HA!
Either way, it’s probably safe to assume that it wasn’t Tom Cruise.
Rick Fowlie
Heath was a beautiful man. I still miss him.
TampaBayTed
Heath was brilliant in his role as was Jake. The fact that Brokeback did not win best picture was a disgraceful, homophobic act on the part of some Academy members.
Daggerman
…Heath Leadger was more than competent and plenty macho for the film, I really don’t understand what the issue was about? Or why there should have been one regarding that..???
Sluggo2007
What a joke that “Crash” won for best picture over “Brokeback Mountain.” Nobody even remembers or discusses “Crash.” Hey Academy, discriminate much?
startenout
I remember all the hubbub at the time about the Academy being afraid to let a gay film win, but honestly I watched both films one weekend on DVD and Crash was better.
russellhm
In the Academy Awards, 2006, hosted by Jon Stewart, Brokeback Mountain won 3 Oscars–one for Ang Lee as Best Director. “Crash” won Best Picture and had an all-star cast including the truly hot Matt Dillon who won a Best Acting Oscar. 2006 was still early in the march toward sexual equality. The recent ruling by the SCOTUS showed that Americans had totally turned around in favor of it in the decade prior. But Brokeback was still too much of an outlier; today it is likely to have won hands down because it still considered one of the most poignant treatments of evolving sexual orientation awareness. Both of its leading actors were superb and won acting awards from other organizations. Of course, the movie became even more poignant with Heath Ledger’s untimely death. I remember seeing it, also, at the Embarcadero in SF at a matinee by myself. I wanted to revel in its tenderness with few people around and no distractions. It was lovely and powerful and I still recall it fondly. Today, on random sites about gay films, the first sexual scene will come up and I always re-watch. No, it isn’t graphic but it is so damn sensual and tender.
Blackceo
@Sluggo2007:
@startenout:
Yeah….I for one have watched Crash more times over than Brokeback Mountain. Brokeback Mountain was good. Crash resonated more with me and I liked it better.
Billy Budd
Crash is Bull. Brokeback is genius. And Heath was PERFECT for the part.
Goforit
I too have watched both movies several times and must add my 2 cents. I thought that both movies were excellent. Brokeback tugs at my heartstrings every time, but Crash engaged all of my emotions and therefore I thought was the better movie that year. There is nothing “homophobic” about it. (Just ask my husband)
Ladbrook
@russellhm: Actually, Dillon didn’t win a “Best Acting Oscar.” He was nominated in the supporting category for Crash but lost to George Clooney (Syriana). Philip Seymour Hoffman won the lead acting trophy that year for Capote. Ledger and Gyllenhaal were both nominated (lead and supporting, respectively) for Brokeback.
A good source for all things Oscar is their very user-friendly database, which can be found here:
http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/BasicSearchInput.jsp
BlogShag
Difficult to cast???? Please, James Franco, and many other actors could have played the shit out of that role
Heath ruined the movie by mumbling through his lines