“The Birdcage” could have played Billy Crystal or Robert Redford, Nathan Lane revealed on Tuesday’s episode by Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s “Dinner’s on Me” podcast.
Lane, who played Albert Goldman in comedy in 1996 with Robin Williams as his husband, Armand Goldman, shared the story of director Mike Nichols.
“I would come across Mike, and he would say, ‘Oh, maybe Robin wouldn’t. “What do you think of Billy Crystal?”, Lane recalled.
On another occasion, Nichols simply lost Redford’s name in the event of a preferential event. “I said, ‘How about him? Is he here?, Lane told Ferguson. “Like your husband,” explained Nichols. “I said, yes, if you can work it all my dreams will come true – jokes. You know, all very interesting ideas, but fortunately Robin agreed to do so. “
Lane was happy to recall the late comedian, who died in 2014. While Lane was first signed on the project, Williams could easily have asked him to be reworked. Then Williams had never heard of the future Tony winner.
“He was a movie star. He could have said, “I want Billy Crystal,” or another big movie name to make the movie. I know they showed him the screen test and he didn’t know who the hell I was. And he was like, “yes, absolutely.” He was, as you heard, an incredible, generous and sensitive and kind soul and we were kind of family in a way. “
Lane added that Williams, ”was just so very fun and brilliant and a comic genius and a wonderful actor. We always had that band from that movie. “
The “producers” and “Monsters” star remembered how the bus stop from the film caused him to burst in tears years later. “I did one thing for the New Yorker festival and they showed a scene from it and I hadn’t seen it since he had died and I just started crying.”
Lane will be shown next in the Hulu comedy series “Mid-Century Modern” with Matt Bomer from “Colleague Travelers.”
