Ben Affleck's character in Gone Girl was almost played by another big star. The 2014 film, which was directed by David Fincher and adapted by Gillian Flynn based on her best-selling novel of the same name, starred Affleck as a Missouri man named Nick Dunne who becomes the prime suspect in the sudden disappearance of his wife Amy (played by Rosamund Pike) and the center of an intense media circus. Affleck's performance, which drew on his own experience with the media, was praised as one of the best of his career.
However, Affleck's character in Gone Girl was almost played by Jon Hamm, who confirmed such during a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Responding to a fan question, Hamm confirmed that he was originally going to play the role of Nick Dunne in Gone Girl, though he had to drop out due to his role as Don Draper on Mad Men. Hamm, a St. Louis native, went on to joke that Affleck, a big Bostonian, had to wear a Cardinals hat in the movie. Read Hamm's full response or watch the video below:
I was down to the very end of that. It was meant to be me, but we had to film the continuing adventures of Mr. Draper... The main character in Gone Girl is from St. Louis. Poor Ben, a Boston guy, had to wear a Cardinals hat. He was not very happy about it.
Though Gone Girl was a huge missed opportunity for Hamm, whose movie career hasn't measured up to his legendary TV resume, the casting worked out for the best for both actors. Hamm returned for Mad Men season 6, for which he received another Emmy nomination for his pitch-perfect portrayal of the charismatic and conflicted advertising executive. In total, Hamm received eight Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Don Draper in the acclaimed AMC drama, one for each season including two for seven which was split into two parts, finally winning the prestigious award in 2015 before going off the air.
Related: Jon Hamm Can Finally Break Free From Mad Men With His New Movie
While Hamm had to drop out and devote his full attention to his career-defining role as Don Draper, Affleck was gifted the chance for one of his own. Affleck's performance in Gone Girl was widely praised for capturing the complex layers of Nick Dunne. This includes the range of emotions experienced by the character - from confusion, concern, suspicion, and desperation - as audiences question whether he was involved in the disappearance of his wife. While it would have been interesting to see Hamm's take on the character, the Gone Girl casting worked out for the best for both him and Affleck.
Source: Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen