Casting is everything. No matter how stellar the writing or directing is, it's the cast who breathes life into it. In fact, many directors have stated that casting is almost the entirety of their job. After all, if they hire the right people, they will basically do this job for them. Could you imagine a show as great as Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld's iconic sitcom without the brilliant casting of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards? Well, the same can be said of The West Wing's sweeping ensemble. Thanks to an in-depth article by The Hollywood Reporter about the history of the show, we now know about what precisely went into casting Aaron Sorkin's beloved political drama.
Casting The President Of The U.S.
Fans of The West Wing are absolutely dedicated to the show, even though it has been years since it has been on television. But West Wing fans are fanatics and want to know every little behind-the-scenes detail that can be found about the show. One thing they probably don't know is that acclaimed actor Sidney Poitier was offered the role of President Bartlet.
"Those talks didn't get far," Aaron Sorkin admitted to The Hollywood Reporter. "Next was Jason Robards, but Robards was in bad health, and it was determined that if the pilot got picked up for series, he wouldn't be able to handle the schedule. We also read Hal Holbrook and John Cullum, and they were both great, but one day [executive producer] John Wells called and said, 'What about Martin Sheen?' I'd loved working with Martin on The American President but didn't think we had a shot at him for this. A few minutes later Martin called and said he'd read the script and he'd like to do it. At the outset, I'd imagined that the president was a character we'd only see once in a while, and so Martin was originally signed to a contract that would have him appear in four out of 13 episodes."
But Martin Sheen's President Bartlet was the highest-testing character in the pilot, so the network [NBC] really wanted him in the series more.
Casting The Rest Of The West Wing
Aaron Sorkin told The Hollywood Reporter that he had wanted to work with Bradley Whitford on his show Sports Night, but that didn't pan out due to scheduling reasons. So, once his other show was canceled, Bradley was freed up to do another Aaron Sorkin project, The West Wing.
"It's hilarious looking back because my biggest concern [about doing Sports Night] was that Aaron, Mr. Big Feature Writer, would have nothing to do with the day-to-day writing," Bradley Whitford, who played Deputy Cheif of Staff Josh Lyman, told The Hollywood Reporter. "I always joke with Aaron — and it goes for [director and executive producer Thomas Schlamme] too — that The West Wing was a great show about democracy run by a couple of Kim Jong-ils.
Next up was Rob Lowe, who was a big star at the time, but mostly for his roles as a young man.
"I had no idea Rob was coming in [to read for Sam Seaborn], and once I saw that he was, I was determined not to cast him," Aaron admitted. "Tommy [Schlamme], John [Wells] and I were putting together an ensemble, and while it was all right with me that the president was being played by a movie star, I thought having one play Sam would throw the balance of the cast out of whack. And then he read the first of three scenes he'd prepared. I don't remember the second or the third because he'd already gotten the part a page into the first, and I was thinking of stories for a character who has no idea he looks like Rob Lowe. 'Pay him whatever he wants,' I said."
According to Rob Lowe in the Hollywood Reporter interview, the role of Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn was the only role he ever REALLY wanted to play. Shortly after he was cast, his colleague, Toby Ziegler the Communications Director, was up. And ultimately the role came down to two actors, Schitt's Creek star Eugene Levy and Richard Schiff, who eventually won the role.
"I ran into [Eugene] at a party years later," Richard Schiff said. "He told me, "I was sure I was going to get it because I put my ear to the door when you auditioned and I couldn't hear anything."
The role of Press Secretary C.J. Cregg also came down to two actors, CCH Pounder and future Academy Award-winner Allison Janney.
"The only thing I'd ever seen Allison in was Primary Colors, and she'd made an immediate impression on me with a simple trip on a flight of stairs," Aaron said. "Pounder's auditions were great, but looking back, it would be hard to argue we made the wrong decision casting Allison, who became the heartbeat of the show."
As for political consultant Many Hampton, actor Moira Kelly was the only person Aaron Sorkin had in mind. She was offered the role flat-out. The same happened for First Lady Abigail Bartlet's Stockard Channing. But Janel Moloney (Donatella Moss) had to work a little hard. She had originally gone up for the role of C.J. Although she lost out on that role, Aaron was so impressed with her that he made sure she got a different role.
Ultimately, this cast would see some changes and major additions in the later years, but this core group was what really set the ball rolling for this show and made it something that millions of fans fell in love with.