“Catch Me If You Can” is a cult crime comedy that debuted on the big screens in mid-December 2002. Audiences were attracted to cinemas not only by the star cast, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in the main roles, but also by the engaging plot based on real events. The film was inspired by the best-selling book of the same title by Frank William Abagnale, in which he described frauds he committed in the 1960s, defrauding a total of over $2.5 million.
Who was the main character of the movie “Catch Me If You Can”? Spielberg knew immediately that DiCaprio would play him
Initially, Gore Verbinski was to direct the production, but due to the final change in the shooting start date, he had to resign. Then, Spielberg, who owned the DreamWorks studio that licensed the book, took up the film adaptation of Abagnale’s memoirs, joining forces with producer Walter Parkes. From the very beginning, both of them were sure that he should portray the young forger on screen. Not only was he successful, which was a guarantee of high attendance, but he was also of a similar age to the book’s hero.
James Gandolfini was initially cast as FBI special agent Carl Hanratty, who hot on the heels of the forger, wanting to prove his guilt. He was also eager to play this character and before any work began, he was already perfectly familiar with the script. Due to the fact that he had previously worked with Parkes and during, among others, “Saving Private Ryan” and “Band of Brothers”, he decided to contact the first of them and submit his candidacy. – Can I act in this movie? Do you think Steven will let me play the role of an FBI agent? – he allegedly asked the producer shyly, something the director mentioned years later in a conversation with film critic Roger Ebert.
Who did Tom Hanks play in “Catch Me If You Can”? He got the role after the star of “The Sopranos”
Fortunately for him, Gandolfini eventually resigned due to the series he was producing at the time, which conflicted with the filming of the film adaptation. Then, in accordance with his previous request, it was Hanks who received the offer to take over from him. And although he had insisted on it earlier, he did not immediately accept the offer. He was concerned that his presence in the film might overshadow DiCaprio – he was already a big star, and his colleague, who was 18 years his junior, had several great roles under his belt, but his position in the industry was not yet stable.
Before he made the final decision, he called him and asked if he would mind if he played the role of an agent. As you can guess, he was very surprised by this. Despite this, he had no reservations, in fact he considered it an honor, and soon they met on the set, creating a film that went down in cinema history. “Catch Me If You Can” not only won a lot of great reviews and awards, including two nominations, but also earned the nickname “James Bond in the sky”. If you feel like it, vote in our poll below.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
