Alain Charnier’s casting came from a genuine Hollywood case of mistaken identity. William Friedkin had been impressed by Francisco Rabal’s brief appearance in Luis Buñuel’s Belle de Jour, but he remembered only that the performer was a Spanish actor and did not know his name. When Friedkin asked the casting department to locate him, representatives contacted Fernando Rey instead, another Spanish actor who had worked in several Buñuel films. By the time Rabal was finally found, it became clear that he spoke neither French nor English, while Rey was available and suitable for the production. Rey therefore remained in the film and created the elegantly sinister smuggler who became one of its defining figures, even though he was not the performer Friedkin had originally intended to hire.
Preparing the daily feature…
AI concept artworkArchive Record · 1970s
The Fernando Rey Casting Mistake That Replaced the Actor Friedkin Actually Wanted
Fernando Rey / The French Connection / 1970s
Alain Charnier’s casting came from a genuine Hollywood case of mistaken identity. William Friedkin had been impressed by Francisco Rabal’s brief appearance in Luis Buñuel’s Belle de Jour, but he remembered only that the performer was a Spanish actor and did not know his name. When Friedkin asked the casting department to locate him, representatives contacted Fernando Rey instead, another Spanish actor who had worked in several Buñuel films. By the time Rabal was finally found, it became clear that he spoke neither French nor English, while Rey was available and suitable for the production. Rey therefore remained in the film and created the elegantly sinister smuggler who became one of its defining figures, even though he was not the performer Friedkin had originally intended to hire.
The daily feature is taking an intermission. There’s still an entire archive to explore.