In 1994, Robert Duvall turned down one of the decade’s best movies. 16 years later, he admitted he’d have hated the director anyway
Robert Duvall turned down the role of Detective William Somerset in David Fincher’s 1995 thriller *Seven*, a film that later became widely regarded as a modern classic. Years afterwards, Duvall said he might have made the right choice because he disliked Fincher’s demanding approach to filming.
At a 2010 roundtable, Duvall reacted with dismay to accounts of Fincher shooting dozens of takes on *The Social Network* and *Zodiac*. The article says Duvall had also passed on playing Hannibal Lecter in *The Silence of the Lambs*, choosing *Days of Thunder* instead; Gene Hackman and Al Pacino had also declined the Somerset role.
In short
- Robert Duvall declined the role of Somerset in *Seven*.
- He objected to David Fincher’s high number of takes.
- Duvall had earlier passed on *The Silence of the Lambs*.
Explained simply
Seven is a crime thriller about two detectives investigating a series of murders linked to the seven deadly sins. David Fincher directed the film, released in 1995, with Morgan Freeman playing Detective William Somerset and Brad Pitt as his younger partner.
Robert Duvall was among the actors considered for Somerset, but he declined the role; Gene Hackman and Al Pacino also passed. Duvall later spoke critically about Fincher’s practice of filming many takes, which helps explain why their working styles might have clashed.
The story is part of a wider account of roles actors turn down and how those choices can shape a film’s eventual cast. Seven became widely regarded as a modern classic, while Duvall’s career included other major film roles, including in Days of Thunder.
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