In an alternate universe, Hugh Laurie didn’t play Dr. Gregory House. It’s hard to imagine Fox medical drama House without Laurie playing the titular and unconventional doctor. But there was a time where he wasn’t the only one being considered for the role way back when. Prior to the series’ premiere in 2004, another legendary actor was in the running to lead the team. Former Fox executive Preston Beckman was a guest on the podcast The Town with Matthew Belloni. When the topic of actors getting recast came up, Beckman told an interesting story of just how Laurie landed the lead role in House and how Lt. Dan himself, Gary Sinise, nearly nabbed it.
“I can remember House. Originally, the lead was going to be Gary Sinise. And Marcia Shulman, who was Head of Casting at Fox, suggested Hugh Laurie,” Beckman shared. It was before the pilot was shot, he clarified. “But Gary Sinise was the person.” House premiered back in 2004, and Sinise was in some pretty big projects by then. Aside from his beloved role in Forrest Gump, he also was in Apollo 13, Of Mice and Men (where he also served as director and producer), Snake Eyes, The Green Mile, Mission to Mars, and Mission: SPACE. And that’s just the films.
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What made Marcia Shulman think of the Tehran star and what made everyone else go along with her is unknown. But recasting happens all the time. It’s very possible they simply brought Laurie in to read a few lines, and they were all convinced. It’s a good thing, too. Laurie is House, and I can’t possibly imagine anyone else playing him. Though now you can’t help but wonder how the show could have turned out if Dr. House was played by Lt. Dan. Perhaps a future reboot?
House ran for eight seasons on Fox and is still loved by fans all around the world. The series also starred an ensemble cast that included Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Olivia Wilde, and Odette Annable. While having Gary Sinise would have definitely made the series a lot different, it’s clear that Hugh Laurie was the perfect fit to play the titular character. He may not have had the most common methods, but he did have some of the best.
