Jennifer Jason Leigh says she came close to playing Catwoman, and lost out on 'The Terminator'
- "Fargo" star Jennifer Jason Leigh says she almost played Catwoman.
- The actor came close to the role for "Batman Returns," but it went to Michelle Pfeiffer.
Jennifer Jason Leigh says she nearly played Catwoman in Tim Burton's "Batman Returns," and also said that she had multiple auditions for "The Terminator."
Leigh is currently starring in "Fargo" season five opposite the likes of Jon Hamm and Juno Temple, playing steely matriarch Lorraine Lyon.
Leigh spoke to Business Insider for the first installment of our new "Role Play" series, and looked back on the many characters she's played throughout her career.
Leigh touched on the roles that she missed out on, and recalled how she nearly played Catwoman in "Batman Returns" opposite Michael Keaton.
"Tim Burton. I was close to getting Catwoman," she said, explaining that she had meetings with Burton about the role.
"I didn't get it because Michelle Pfeiffer was offered it, and it's okay," Leigh said. "But I had met him a couple times and I'd seen some sketches of costumes and all of that."
Plenty of actors have worn the catsuit over the years, but Pfeiffer's take on the character is perhaps the most iconic. She even learned how to use a whip for the role.
Leigh also told Business Insider that she came close to working with James Cameron on "The Terminator."
"And I had also auditioned a few times for 'Terminator,'" she noted, though she did not specify which role she was considered for.
It's possible that Leigh auditioned for the role of Sarah Connor, the mother of future resistance leader John Connor. The part ultimately went to Linda Hamilton, who recently reprised the role in 2019's "Terminator: Dark Fate."
Leigh said she's been watching the "Terminator" movies with her son, which has been a unique experience.
"I have a 13-year-old, so we're watching these movies now and they're really significant to him," she said.
Leigh added: "To imagine being in that... because I haven't made that many films that a child can watch."