Studying Time: 3 minutes
The 1993 movie What’s Consuming Gilbert Grape earned Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar nomination and introduced the younger star as a significant new expertise.
However Hollywood historical past virtually performed out very otherwise, as ’80s icon Corey Feldman was initially forged within the position of Johnny Depp’s developmentally disabled youthful brother, Arnie Grape.
And plainly it was Depp who determined that Feldman wasn’t proper for the half.
At the very least that’s the scandalous declare Feldman made throughout a latest look on Billy Corgan’s new podcast.
(Sure, this story has extra Gen X and millennial nostalgia bait than a Nirvana cowl band performing in a Blockbuster car parking zone.)
Corey Feldman says he was handled unfairly following ‘What’s Consuming Gilbert Grape’ casting
“I used to be really forged to play Leonardo DiCaprio’s position,” Feldman explained to Corgan.
“Johnny Depp … was forged after I used to be and apparently whispered into the producers’ ear that he wasn’t keen on me,” he mentioned.
In response to Feldman, Depp objected to his historical past of drug use. Which is considerably ironic, as Depp’s issues with substance abuse have been well-documented through the years.
“He mentioned I used to be a junkie and that he didn’t work with junkies,” Feldman claimed, including that “that is the primary time I bear in mind ever telling this story, so I’m positive I’m gonna get hung by this one.”
Feldman says the dismissal was made much more painful by the truth that after being uncovered to medication and alcohol at a really younger age, he was newly sober on the time.
“I used to be sober. I had simply gotten sober,” he insisted. “I had simply gotten out of rehab. I had turned my life round.
“Actually, [I] was making an attempt to assist River [Phoenix] on the time,” Feldman added.
Phoenix, who was Feldman’s costar within the beloved 1989 movie Stand By Me, died of a drug overdose in a membership owned by Depp.
The 23-year-old handed in October of 1993, simply months after filming wrapped on What’s Consuming Gilbert Grape.
Feldman says he’s haunted by ideas of what might need been
DiCaprio, in fact, went on to turn into one of the vital revered stars in Hollywood historical past.
Would which were Feldman’s destiny if he had been allowed to stay on Gilbert Grape?
We’ll by no means know, in fact, however Feldman says the reminiscence of being handled unfairly haunts him to at the present time.
“Had I not been pushed out and finished that position, who is aware of what would have occurred from the purpose ahead,” he mentioned. “That gave Leonardo his first [Oscar] nomination.”
Feldman says that greater than 30 years later, he nonetheless has not watched What’s Consuming Gilbert Grape.
It’s an unbelievable movie stuffed with wonderful performances — however in Corey’s case, that could be extra motive not to look at it.
