"12 Years A Slave" director Steve McQueen cast Taran Killam as one of the two men who kidnap the film's title character, Solomon Northup, into slavery, but the "Saturday Night Live" star wasn't the only comic up for those roles in the movie. In an interview with Variety's Jenelle Riley, actor and comic Patton Oswalt revealed he auditioned to play one of the parts for McQueen.
"I didn't get the role, but when I saw the guy who got it, he was great!" Oswalt said, without revealing whether he was referring to Killam or Scoot McNairy, who plays the other kidnapper. "So I never get too down about not getting a part. Casting people know what they're doing. You want to be in a good movie, but you don't want to suck in something great. They got the perfect person to play that role."
Discussing Killam's casting with HuffPost Entertainment senior writer Mike Ryan, McQueen revealed that he wasn't familiar with his "Saturday Night Live" work.
"We don't get 'Saturday Night Live' outside of America, so I didn't know who Taran was," McQueen said. "He's an amazing actor because I think a lot of comedians have that talent where they can go to those kinds of places. I can't hold him in higher esteem. I know his part wasn't that big, but I would work with him tomorrow. For sure."
For more on Oswalt, including word about his supporting role in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," head to Variety.
[via Variety]
