Justin Theroux might be forever linked to HBO’s ‘The Leftovers,’ but his story with show creator Damon Lindelof actually started long before the Tom Perrotta novel adaptation existed. Lindelof shared a surprising casting detail that takes fans back to the early days of ‘Lost‘.
Because before Matthew Fox became the face of Lost as Dr. Jack Shepard, Lindelof had other names on his radar, including Theroux. But it never really took off, and we know why.
Justin Theroux Was On Damon Lindelof’s “Lost” List
Before ‘Lost‘ gained such huge popularity, Lindelof was already building a list of actors he could see playing Jack Shepard. Justin Theroux was one of those names, and Lindelof confirmed that when they reached out about the role, Theroux wasn’t interested in taking it. At the time, neither Lindelof nor Theroux could have predicted how huge ‘Lost‘ would become.
Related: ‘Lost’ Ending Explained: The Mystery Of Island And Fate Of Passengers
Lindelof also explained in the interview why Theroux’s walking away made sense when you look at his career choices. Theroux has the kind of look and presence that makes Hollywood immediately want to “groom” him into a Marvel-style movie star. But the actor never seemed driven by constant visibility.
Lindelof pointed out that Theroux doesn’t have a long list of credits because he hasn’t had many opportunities. He simply chooses carefully, and that same picky habit is why he didn’t jump on ‘Lost‘ even when he was on the Jack list.
Justin Theroux’s Second Shot At A Dystopian Show Led To ‘The Leftovers’
Even after Theroux passed on Lost, Lindelof always kept a watch on his career. One moment that truly surprised him was learning Theroux co-wrote Ben Stiller’s Oscar-nominated Hollywood satire Tropic Thunder. Lindelof remembered reacting with total shock, thinking, “Oh my God, Justin Theroux’s a comedy writer?” Years later, when Lindelof started developing ‘The Leftovers‘ for HBO, he still had Theroux in mind.
In case you missed it: 15 Best Dystopian Shows Of All Time
Lindelof admitted he had doubts about whether Theroux could pull off the role, because in his head, the actor was “way too good-looking” to make the character work. That doubt didn’t survive the audition, though. Once Theroux read for the part, Lindelof said he immediately saw how talented the actor really was.
Eventually, ‘The Leftovers‘ ended up becoming one of the most critically acclaimed shows of the decade, and gave us a ton of memes and online jokes.
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