Home » News » La La Land - Not Ryan Gosling-Emma Stone but Miles Teller-Emma Watson were the first choice | Here's what happened
La La Land - Not Ryan Gosling-Emma Stone but Miles Teller-Emma Watson were the first choice | Here's what happened
La La Land was released in 2016 starring Ryan Gosling with Emma Stone and swept 6 Oscars for the brilliance it held.
May 09, 2024
Miles Teller and Emma Watson were the first choice for La La Land
It was December 2016 when a movie danced into our lives with a love story that resonated with hearts around the world. It portrayed the dilemma of artists in love and the distress caused by their inferiority complexes. While the fantasy setup with vibrant lights and a soothing blend of music was the highlight, there was always a touch of realism when it came to the lovers navigating lives in two artistic professions.
Mia and Sebastian are not just characters; they become people we know when she met him at the bar one last time, looked back, and left. We all have our versions of what happened after that. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling made the characters eternal for us. But what if we now tell you that they were not the first choices to play Mia and Sebastian? Read on to discover this shocking trivia of the day.
Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone Weren't the First Choice for La La Land
Yes, you read that right. The two actors, whom we have loved for playing two of the most humane parts in a musical as significant as La La Land were never the first choices for these roles. Rather, both Gosling and Stone came much later in the scene. The initial choices to play the parts were The Fantastic Four star Miles Teller and Harry Potter fame Emma Watson. Well, even we were as surprised as many of you are when we first read about this trivia. Director-writer Damien Chazelle wanted to revive his Whiplash star, but things didn't work out well.
Also Read: Ryan Gosling films to watch on Lionsgate Play ahead of The Fall Guy: La La Land to Half Nelson
Miles Teller Said…
The report is confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, which includes a story from Miles Teller about losing La La Land. The actor, who led Damien Chazelle’s last film Whiplash before the 2016 Oscar-winning opus, was initially offered the film. But according to Teller, he randomly received a call one day from his agent who said, “Hey, I just got a call from Lionsgate. Damien told them that he no longer thinks you’re creatively right for the project. He’s moving on without you.”
However, there is also a different version of this story which comes from sources. It was said back in the day that Miles Teller wanted a bigger paycheck to play Sebastian in La La Land and wasn't satisfied with what he was being offered. He was unwilling to accept the $4 million offer, but it turned out that the time wasted was not a good thing for the movie as the actor cast for Seb would have to take intense piano lessons before the movie went on floors in 2015. But Miles began the shoot for Allegiant and the makers of La La Land had to look for another male lead.
But What About Emma Watson?
There are no confirmed details on why Emma Watson didn't do La La Land but one thing is confirmed: it wasn't about money at all. It is said that the actor was not okay with the time commitment and rather opted to do Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Eight years later, now it is hard to imagine anyone but Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in the roles of Mia and Sebastian.
La La Land turned out to be one of the most successful movies of 2016 and made a loud buzz at many award nights, especially the Oscars. The film scored a record-tying 14 nominations at the 2017 Oscars and even won 6 of them, including Best Director (Damien Chazelle) and Best Actress (Emma Stone). The movie is available on Lionsgate Play, and you can watch it with your OTTplay Premium subscription.
Stay tuned to OTTplay for more trivia like this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.
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