Movies - TV
David Bowie Nearly Played One Of The Best '90s Movie Villains
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
"Cliffhanger" is about a midair heist by the evil British criminal Eric Qualen. Sylvester Stallone plays the American mountain climber and rescue ops agent who has to stop him.
Director Renny Harlin recently talked to /Film's Jacob Hall and revealed how the role played by John Lithgow in “Cliffhanger” was almost portrayed by David Bowie.
When casting Qualen, Harlin needed to match Stallone’s on-screen presence. In his original vision, that actor was David Bowie and so he pursued him.
Not only would Bowie have turned in an intense, quirky performance, but his clout as a rock god would certainly have attracted audiences. Harlin regrets that it didn't happen.
The director visited Bowie in New York to discuss the movie, recalling, “It was very close, but [...] the schedules didn't work out. So David Bowie didn't play the bad guy."