Angelina Jolie is one of the most prolific and in-demand actresses of all time, but her potential presence in one of Pierce Brosnan’s movies seemed not very striking, at least for the actor. In fact, the James Bond star wanted Charlize Theron for the role.
The 1999 film Thomas Crown Affair served as the remake of the 1968 movie of the same title. Brosnan played a billionaire who stole a painting from an art gallery. He worked as a producer of the film as well, and he mentioned specifically wanting an older female on the team.
Pierce Brosnan Wasn’t Thrilled To Star Alongside Angelina Jolie
In an interview with People, Mamma Mia! star Pierce Brosnan explained why he did not want Salt actress Angelina Jolie in the potential sequel. He also shared why Charlize Theron was a better choice (via Irish Central):
“Charlize Theron is someone who I’ve always admired. I think she’s someone who has acquitted herself grandly. Nothing against Angelina Jolie. I think she’s a magnificent actress. But Charlize has a poise about her and has an inner strength and femininity which I really like to watch.”
Part of the reason why Brosnan was also hesitant to work with Jolie was because she did not have the physical stats needed for the role. The director reportedly wanted the Tomb Raider star to gain weight and bulk up, according to an insider (via Mirror):
“Ideally, they want Angelina to put on two stone for the role. It is going to be very physically demanding, which is why they want her to carry the extra weight. They don’t want a reprise of what happened with Wanted, where she was fainting, and they had to take her costumes in.”
Jolie is quite known for her lean physique despite starring in several action movies. The filmmakers hoped that she would put some work in order to gain weight before they start production. The source also added:
“She was also slated for being too skinny to portray an action woman, and for Thomas Crown, they want a convincing female lead. Hopefully, she will take them up on it – a few extra pounds wouldn’t hurt her.”
While these claims sound very convincing, neither Jolie nor Brosnan came forward to prove these statements.
Do Angelina Jolie And Charlize Theron Hate Each Other?
Many tabloids have been linking Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron in a not-so-good fashion. Rumors of them being enemies have circulated in the past years, a source told Radar Online:
“The hate fest between these two started a long time ago and just won’t stop. It’s as though directors are getting a buzz out of playing them against each other, by dangling a script to both of them then leaving them to b**** and slug it out.”
Theron was quick to shut down these rumors when she spoke on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, confirming there is no rivalry happening between her and the Maleficent actress:
“We really don’t know each other. We’re not friends or hang out, but she’s never been nothing but gracious and lovely and warm.”
Certainly, these made-up rumors were only concocted to pit the two actresses against each other. Either of them would have definitely nailed the role. As of April 2023, Amazon has announced a reboot of the franchise following the acquisition of MGM and several script revisions.
The Thomas Crown Affair is available to watch on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Sources: Irish Central, Mirror, Radar Online, Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen
