For an actor whose career spans more than five decades, Tim Curry has little left to prove. His performances have become cultural touchstones, etched into the memories of generations of moviegoers.
Still, the 79-year-old actor recently acknowledged that one opportunity he never even received continues to stand out as a lasting disappointment, according to Fox News.
Curry reflected on his career during an appearance on The Academy YouTube channel, where he discussed both iconic roles and near-misses.
When asked about parts that slipped away, he pointed to one in particular that he says still haunts him.
“One of my great regrets is that I read the script of ‘Silence of the Lambs’ and I desperately wanted to play Hannibal Lecter,” Curry said.
The frustration, he explained, came from never being seriously considered for the role.
“My agent couldn’t get me in the room, but Tony Hopkins did a great job,” he added.
Released in 1991, “The Silence of the Lambs” centered on FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she seeks the help of imprisoned serial killer Hannibal Lecter to track down another murderer.
The film starred Anthony Hopkins as Lecter and Jodie Foster as Starling and quickly became a cultural phenomenon.
The movie went on to gross more than $270 million worldwide and earned five Academy Awards, including best picture, best actor for Hopkins and best actress for Foster. Hopkins later reprised the role in the films “Hannibal” and “Red Dragon.”
Hopkins has previously shared that he initially underestimated the project. While performing in London in 1989, he received the script from his agent and quickly changed his mind after reading it.
“This is the best script I’ve ever read,” Hopkins said at the time.
Director Jonathan Demme later revealed that Sean Connery was his first choice to play Lecter, but the actor turned it down.
“Word came back shortly that he thought it was disgusting and wouldn’t dream of playing that part,” Demme recalled. “So, great, now we can go to Tony Hopkins.”
Demme said his confidence in Hopkins stemmed from the actor’s performance in “The Elephant Man.”
“He had been as believable a doctor as you can imagine,” Demme said. “What if you cast Anthony Hopkins in the part of Dr. Lecter, who is not the worst doctor, but he’s a… good doctor turned bad?”
Despite missing out on Lecter, Curry’s career remains filled with memorable roles. He achieved cult status as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” terrified viewers as Pennywise in the television miniseries “It,” and delivered comedic performances in films like “Clue.”
Curry also recalled auditioning for the role of Marv in “Home Alone” after being approached by director Chris Columbus.
“I actually met Chris Columbus, who apparently had the only two albums of mine and was a bit of a fan. Nobody else had ever bought them,” Curry joked.
Although Daniel Stern ultimately landed the part, Curry later appeared in “Home Alone 2” as the Plaza Hotel concierge. He also fondly remembered working with Macaulay Culkin.
“Mac used to stay up watching late-night movies and fall asleep in the makeup chair,” Curry said. “I liked him. He was a very nice kid.”
Even with a long list of beloved performances, Curry made clear that some roles — especially the ones never auditioned for — still leave a lasting mark.
