In the history of Hollywood there are countless stories of the actors that were nearly cast in various roles. It’s fun to try and imagine a version of The Matrix starring Will Smith or Iron Man starring Tom Cruise. Those actors, however, are still big stars. Sometimes the role that almost happens has the potential to make you a huge star, as could have happened to Hallmark movie stalwart Andrew Walker if he’d been cast in Fantastic Four instead of Chris Evans.
The first Fantastic Four movie in 2005 was the first time many had seen Chris Evans, who had largely been making TV guest appearances up to that point. The same was true of Andrew Walker, who recently told Soaps.com that he and Evans both tested for the role of Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four. It sounds like he was very close to being cast before the role went to Evans. Walker said…
Chris Evans and I tested for that role in Fantastic Four. As heartbreaking as this is for actors, so many friends of mine have a story of the one role that got away. For me, that was Fantastic Four.
Looking at Walker, even two decades later, it’s not hard to imagine why he would have been in contention for the role of Johnny Storm. The character was a brash hothead who knew just how good looking he was. It’s not difficult to imagine Walker, who has been playing a desirable romantic lead in Hallmark movies for a decade, in that role instead of Evans.
Playing Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four and its sequel made Chris Evans a much bigger star than he had been, and almost certainly paved the way to his role as Captain America and the celebrity he enjoys today. Perhaps if Andrew Walker had been cast, he would be a much bigger star now.
However, while Andrew Walker calls the role of Johnny Storm the “one role that got away” that’s not the same thing as saying he regrets not getting the role or is envious of Evans’ success. He says he's now actually glad he wasn’t cast, as he’s very happy with where his career is now. He continued…
I don’t think I’d be doing what I’m doing today [if I booked Fantastic Four] and I would not change a thing about my career right now. I love doing these Hallmark movies. They’re 15-day shoots. I can be a present dad, a present husband. I’m not leaving for six months out of a year to Bulgaria to shoot movies or six months going to Atlanta or Toronto. So right now. This has been the perfect case scenario for me as an actor.
In the end, it seems that everything has worked out pretty well for both Andrew Walker and Chris Evans. Although, it does make one wonder about the alternate timeline where Andrew Walker is a huge Hollywood movie star making Christmas movies with The Rock and Chris Evans is a Hallmark movie heartthrob.
With a new Fantastic Four movie on the way the role of Johnny Storm will be played by Joseph Quinn. We know there were other actors considered for the role of the Human Torch so we'll have to wait and see how they feel about not getting the role in a couple of decades.
