Michael Phelps as Tarzan? If legendary producer Jerry Weintraub had his way, it might have happened. At least until he came to his senses.
This revelation comes from Vanity Fair writer Rich Cohen in his cover story on The Legend of Tarzan co-star Margot Robbie. Weintraub, who passed away during Tarzan‘s production, had his eyes on the 18-time Olympic gold medalist for the iconic role. And there was precedence for an Olympic swimmer playing Tarzan, as Johnny Weissmuller starred as the Lord of the Jungle in six films from the 1930s to 1940s.
From the Vanity Fair piece:
“For a moment Jerry believed he’d found Tarzan in Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. It was all Jerry talked about. “It’s going to be like Johnny Weissmuller,” Jerry told me. “All the reporters are going to say, ‘Weintraub found the new Johnny Weissmuller!’ ” At that point, Jerry had never seen Phelps do anything but get in and out of a pool. Then, as if arranged, the swimmer hosted Saturday Night Live.”
Weintraub had an assistant record the show, since it was on so late. As Cohen explains, he was working with the producer on writing a memoir and happened to be with Weintraub when he watched Phelps on SNL. His error in judgment soon became painfully clear.
“As he watched Phelps’s monologue, I watched him, his mood shifting from excited to perturbed, green to red. Two minutes in, Jerry turned to his assistant and shouted, ‘This isn’t Tarzan! This isn’t Johnny Weissmuller! He’s a goon! Why didn’t anyone tell me he’s a goon? Turn it off. Goddammit, turn it off.'”
Two minutes was all it took for a major Hollywood producer to figure out that Phelps was in no position to play the lead in a major blockbuster. Although people familiar with Phelps from his Olympics exploits and subsequent commercial endorsements probably could have told Weintraub that his idea was a bad one within two seconds. Weintraub probably wouldn’t have even said Phelps’ complete name before he was cut off.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/34462
Having seen The Legend of Tarzan, which I enjoyed, it’s safe to say that producers made the right choice in casting Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) in the title role. Not only did he get the physicality down, getting in the kind of shape that led to a Muscle & Fitness cover story, but Skarsgard also was able to portray the contrast between brutish jungle man and English lord. Tarzan is civilized when this latest story begins. We know Phelps can eat a Subway sandwich on screen, but would he have been convincing drinking tea with the British prime minister?
But it might have been fun to see Samuel L. Jackson have to share the screen with Phelps. How do you think ol’ Sam would have handled that? He might have been hoping for Tarzan to call a shark for help.
