There are storied casting what-ifs that make us genuinely wonder how different a movie would have been had X gotten the role over Y. Usually it’s tough to even picture anyone else even being considered. Take Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns, for example. She redefined the character for a generation and still remains the ultimate version of Catwoman. And to think Catwoman could have been Sean Young, who ended up redefining how to botch a campaign in spectacular fashion.
One of the oddest attempts in landing a role for a movie came in Sean Young’s infamous shot at sealing the deal as Catwoman for Tim Burton, but the director wouldn’t meet with her. To up her chances, Sean Young went on Joan Rivers’ talk show in 1991 decked out in a homemade Catwoman costume, playfully yet menacingly calling out “Timmy” for not returning phone calls. And while the stunt was cringeworthy and was just another nail in her Hollywood reputation, Young still thought it was a good bit. As Young told The Spectator on her pitch, “Honestly, I thought it was funny! I thought it was really, really funny, but these, these insecure dickheads at these studios, they just didn’t see the humor. they really didn’t. And I did not realize that that they were so humorless. I really didn’t. I thought it was absolutely f*cking hilarious. I love that video.” Not as funny as Michelle Pfeiffer must have thought it was, laughing her way to a $3 million salary.
Young added, “Of course, I should play Catwoman, and if these guys had had any sense, any time from that point until now, they would have given me the part again because [the controversy], it was so perfect, but they’re not really good businessmen…They’re not very intelligent.” Young clearly isn’t too interested in getting back in good graces with Hollywood execs and her filmography reflects this, as the vast majority of her output since her downfall is lacking to say the least.
In addition to Sean Young, the likes of Annette Bening, Bridget Fonda, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and a wealth of others all circled Catwoman.
Do you think Sean Young could have pulled off Catwoman?
