“No one would ever welcome James Spader into their living room”: Absurd Reason The Blacklist Star Nearly Missed Out on a Career Defining TV Role
James Spader could have missed on his multiple Emmy-winning role because of some executives who underestimated him.
Actor James Spader is known for his role as Raymond “Red” Reddington in the crime-drama series The Blacklist. The series revitalized Spader’s television career and the actor remains synonymous with the mysterious yet charismatic character. However, his performance as Red did not make Spader the household name he is today.
Instead, Spader first made waves with his performance as Alan Shore in the legal drama The Practice and its spin-off Boston Legal. As a result, it became Spader’s career-defining role despite the actor not being a popular pick for the series. Creator David E. Kelley admitted to facing pushback over Spader’s casting, and here’s how he almost missed out on the role.
Boston Legal Creator David E. Kelley Talked About Casting James Spader
David E. Kelley is the brilliant mind behind some of the most acclaimed legal dramas of all time, including The Practice. The series ran for eight seasons with the final season adding James Spader to the cast in the main role of Alan Shore. However, given his tendency to play offbeat characters, Spader’s casting received pushback.
During a panel hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Kelley opened up about the challenges of casting Spader in the ABC legal drama series. The writer-producer admitted that the network did not want to cast Spader with Kelley stating the following (via The Hollywood Reporter):
I was told that no one would ever welcome James Spader into their living room. People will watch him in the movies, but they will never let him in their own home.
From Kelley’s comments, it is evident that the pushback wasn’t over Spader’s competence as an actor.
Instead, the network was likely concerned about Spader’s lack of consistent television appearances. At the time, the eventual star of The Blacklist had only appeared in recurring or guest spots on major network shows. Therefore, it is understandable why executives might have been skeptical of handing the actor the lead role for The Practice.
James Spader’s Alan Shore Saved The Practice From Cancellation
Spader’s casting as Alan Shore proved to be a masterstroke that saved The Practice from a sudden downfall. After the series experienced a decline in ratings during the seventh season, it faced budget cuts leading to some key main cast members departing.
However, Spader’s addition revitalized the series and breathed new life into the narrative. His performance as the amoral paralegal earned many plaudits, including an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. As a result, it is safe to say that Spader’s casting saved the series.
Following the show’s end, Spader continued as Alan Shore for the spin-off series Boston Legal, which lasted five seasons. Spader won three more Emmys for his performance in the series, proving the naysayers wrong and becoming a household name in the process.
Of course, this wouldn’t be the last time Spader saved a series from a sudden demise. His performance as Robert California in the eighth season of The Office is also widely credited for helping the sitcom survive. Therefore, there is no doubt that Spader is a legend of modern television.
