During an interview with Digital Spy, Lost and Colony actor Josh Holloway has revealed that he was originally cast as Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. the fan favourite mutant Gambit, in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, only to find himself replaced by Taylor Kitsch when the studio wanted to go younger with the character.
“I actually screen-tested with Hugh Jackman,” said Holloway. “It was amazing – they said, ‘You’re it, you’re the guy, you’re Gambit!’ and they shook my hand. [But the studio head] said, ‘I want someone really young, like that kid in High School Musical!’, so there I went.”
Holloway admitted that he would have loved to play the role, stating that in preparation for his audition he spent time studying card tricks online: “I could spin a card on one finger, I could one-hand cut, I learned to throw a card… it was cool.”
However, he did go on to admit he would have faced one difficulty, adding that: “I’m terrible at the Cajun accent. I wish I could [do it].”
Taylor Kitsch went on to make just a single appearance as Gambit, while Channing Tatum has spent the past several years attached to the role in 20th Century Fox’s planned solo movie, which – for the time being, at least – is set for release on June 7th 2019.
