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John Leguizamo’s Hollywood journey nearly took a dramatic turn. While almost stepping into George Clooney’s role in the popular medical dramaER, he felt the pressure was too much. The challenge of filling a doctor’s shoes and the overwhelming experience pushed JL to his limit.
Stepping away, Leguizamo gained a newfound respect for Clooney’s talent and the tough reality of prime-time television. It was a lesson in intensity and the unique star power of theERdoctors.
John Leguizamo’sERNightmare: Almost Replacing George Clooney
John Leguizamoalmost took overGeorge Clooney’s role in the 1994 medical drama seriesER. However, the reality of hospital drama wasn’t quite as glamorous as it seemed on screen.
JL was supposed to be stepping in as the new hotshot doc, replacing the 63-year-old actor Clooney. But after shooting a few (let’s say grueling) episodes, Leguizamo threw in the towel and was like he couldn’t take it. Speaking to theAV Club, the actor revealed,
I think I’m going to go mental. I can’t keep up. I can’t keep going at this pace. And so I resigned. It was the first time I resigned from anything, I quit anything. But it was so demanding, such hard work. Now I know why they get those big dollars, because that shit is brutal.
So, what turned a dream role into such a brutal nightmare that JL had to resign? Leguizamo, renowned for his damn efficient energy on-screen, believed in giving his all. But medical dramas are a next-level beast, andERwas no less.
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Having to work 16-hours a day to memorize hills of medical jargon left him completely worked up. Suddenly, playing doctor and the big paycheck didn’t make sense, and Leguizamo left. Speaking candidly in the AV Club interview about how demanding the schedule used to be, Leguizamo alluded,
I just had no life. You’re up there so early. You’re up there, like, at 5 a.m. talking to the real doctors, and they explain it to you—because it’s all real operations and real cases. And then they have to show you how to do the operation so you don’t look like a moron.
But JL’s respect for George Clooney soared. Walking away from a starring role wasn’t easy, as he asserted how it was so“tough—the toughest thing.”But it made him appreciate Clooney’s five-year stint on the show even more. Here’s to raising a toast (of a bottle of aspirin) to John Leguizamo, the man who knew his limits and, most importantly, had respect for other actors.
George Clooney CherishesERFamily Beyond the Screen
George Clooney spilled the sweetest tea about hisERfamily in an interview onThe Drew Barrymore Show. The actor, while promoting his 2022 rom-com filmTicket To Paradise, revealed that the time he spent during theERshoot was the best time of his life.
“That show was a job of a lifetime,”Clooney gushed to Barrymore. He said he still shares a very close bond with his former co-stars; in fact, he even hostedAnthony Edwardsand his wife when they were visiting Italy. This heartwarming reunion goes to show that sometimes, the best parts of Hollywood aren’t on screen, but the real connections made behind the scenes.
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Watch the medical drama seriesERon Amazon Prime.
Heena Singh
Editor | Former Senior Writer
Articles Published :1457
Heena Singh is a Editor at FandomWire, spent the last two years making waves in entertainment journalism. With a knack for digging up blockbuster celebrity scoops and an uncanny nose for the latest buzz, Heena’s articles bring a fresh and fun perspective to life. When she’s not conquering writing challenges, you’ll find her curled up in bed, peacefully sleeping.
