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David Fincher wanted an unlikely figure to play Se7en's killer before Kevin Spacey

The role of John Doe was enhanced when The Usual Suspects actor joined the cast

Jacob Stolworthy
Friday 11 November 2016 10:51 EST
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In a bizarre emergence of news, it's come to bear that Kevin Spacey wasn't the first choice to play Se7en's malevolent serial killer, John Doe.

In fact, someone else was considered and it was something of a more leftfield choice because it wasn't an actor at all, but a musician. Namely the former frontman of REM, Michael Stipe.

Apparently, Stipe was director David Fincher's initial choice and the only thing that prevented from his casting was REM's schedule which saw them embark upon a tour following the release of 1994 record Monster.

The role was then offered to Spacey who, let's be honest, made it his own and went so far as to enhance the film;going experience; it was he who requested his name be taken out of promotion for the film hence adding the shock of his appearance as the cold-blooded character.

It seems Fincher's casting of The Usual Suspects actor led to a script enhancement; speaking to Alec Baldwin on his Here's The Thing podcast , the "Shiny Happy People" and "Losing MY Religion" singer stated that all the character had to do "...was run down some hallways looking scary."


The musician - who earlier this year made a rare on-stage performance covering David Bowie - let slip another script alteration; apparently, it was actually Morgan Freeman's character Detective Lieutenant William Somerset that ended Doe's life, not Brad Pitt's (David Mills).

Meanwhile, Baldwin - who dressed up as President Donald Trump in the run-up to the recent election - revealed the toll it took on his jaw.

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