When doing casting for the iconic sci-fi film Blade Runner, director Ridley Scott had one person in mind for the role of Leon Kowalski, and it wasn’t Brion James, so what happened to the original Leon? 1982’s Blade Runner is based on the 1968 novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” It takes place in a futuristic 2019 and follows a man named Deckard who is tasked with retiring old androids called replicants, but who struggles to complete his job when he falls in love with a replicant named Rachael. Blade Runner has become a franchise which includes several short films and a sequel.
In Blade Runner, Leon Kowalski is a replicant that Deckard is assigned to retire. Leon’s retirement is called for after he is brought in to complete a Voight-Kampff test and ends up shooting the test administrator. Additionally, Leon runs with a group of replicants named Roy, Zhora, and Pris. Ultimately, Deckard is asked to retire all of them. From then on, the remainder of Blade Runner sees Deckard chasing after these replicants and becoming more and more suspicious of his own actions and identity. In the end, Leon is killed by Rachael.
Ridley Scott Originally Wanted Frank McRae For Blade Runner’s Leon
Originally, Ridley Scott wanted to give the role of Leon to Frank McRae. McRae is best known for being a football player-turned-actor from the 1970s to the 1990s. McRae attended college at Tennessee State University where he double majored in drama and history. In 1967, McRae played as a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears. His football career lasted for a total of six games before he began pursuing acting. McRae was best known for his acting partnerships with Sylvester Stallone and John Candy in movies like Paradise Alley and 1941. In 1982, when Ridley Scott’s movie was being made, McRae was in the midst of his acting tenure.
Despite Ridley Scott’s desires, Leon was not played by Frank McRae, but by Brion James. Similar to McRae, James attended college and earned a degree in theater arts. After that, he went on to play various bit roles in projects like Southern Comfort and 48 Hrs. As it turns out though, James’ big break was when he played Leon in Blade Runner. This role earned him a string of projects ranging from Enemy Mine and Silverado to Red Heat and Armed and Dangerous. Overall, James became known for his villainous roles, and likely, it is all due to his earning the role of Leon in Blade Runner.
Brion James Won The Part By Scaring Ridley Scott’s Assistant In His Audition
So, if Ridley Scott wanted Frank McRae, then how did Brion James get the part of Leon? According to James’ memoir, it had to do with scare factor. James wrote that a few days before he auditioned for Blade Runner, he had been in a car accident that had left him with various scabs and bruises. Ridley Scott had apparently loved this look, which helped him get the role. Furthermore, after James completed his audition, Scott asked his secretary if James’ performance scared her. She replied, “This guy scares me to death!” In this way, Brion James won out over Frank McRae in Blade Runner because of his frightening demeanor.
