In 1963, movie audiences were wowed by the historical epic Cleopatra, chronicling her dramatic journey as the famous Egyptian queen. As the movie’s 60th anniversary on June 12, 2023 nears, we are taking a look at the casting process for the iconic film.
Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, Cleopatra boasted major star power with Elizabeth Taylor in the starring role, Rex Harrison as Julius Caesar, and Richard Burton as Mark Antony.
Getting the right cast for the movie was essential for a film of this scale, and several actresses were up for the part of Cleopatra. 20th Century Fox production head Buddy Adler wanted to hire an actress who was already under contract with the studio, like Joan Collins, Suzy Parker, and Joanne Woodward. Producer Walter Wanger had a different vision in mind with his top pick being Susan Hayward. Additionally, actresses like Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, and Gina Lollobrigida were considered for the role. Rouben Mamoulian, who was initially hired to direct the project, wanted Dorothy Dandridge for the part.
After Wanger saw Taylor in A Place in the Sun, he decided that she was the right actress to play Cleopatra. With the cards in her favor, Taylor negotiated a record setting $1 million contract plus 10% of the box office gross to play the Egyptian queen. She also stipulated that the movie be filmed in Todd-AO format, which had been developed by her late husband Michael Todd, thereby gaining more royalties from Cleopatra.
The studio would not approve Harrison and Burton as Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, respectively, so Peter Finch was cast as Caesar and Stephen Boyd got the part of Mark Antony. When production was shut down due to Taylor being hospitalized for pneumonia, both Finch and Boyd left for other projects. It was then that Harrison and Burton joined Cleopatra in their well known roles.
The casting, not to mention production choices, proved successful when it was dubbed one of the greatest historical epics of the time. Cleopatra won four Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design, and Visual Effects. It was nominated for a total of nine Oscars that also included Best Picture and Best Actor for Rex Harrison.
