Thomas Haden Church Turned Down A Role In Saving Private Ryan. Here's What He Did Instead

Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" came out in 1998, and it was a massive hit from opening weekend. The first scenes, showing American forces landing on Omaha Beach, are harrowing and visceral, and it is considered one of the best war movies ever made. Inspired by a true story, it stars Tom Hanks as Captain Miller, who is trying to find and save the titular Private Ryan, played by Matt Damon. It could have also featured Thomas Haden Church, but he passed on the Spielberg movie for a chance to work with Marlon Brando.

"At the exact same time I was offered the lead in 'Free Money' with Charlie Sheen and Marlon Brando, I was offered a role in 'Saving Private Ryan,' Haden Church told The A.V. Club in 2008. "And I chose to march off to Canada to work with Marlon Brando." "Free Money" also stars Donald Sutherland and Mira Sorvino, just a few years after her Oscar win. Even with a strong cast, "Free Money" didn't do close to even half as well as "Saving Private Ryan." It was essentially a forgettable movie — it didn't even make it into movie theaters, and it has a 30% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The "Saving Private Ryan" role that Haden Church tested for was Sergeant Horvath. With Church out of the picture, the part was played by Tom Sizemore, one of the stars we sadly lost in 2023.

Thomas Haden Church thought there was unrealized possibility in "Free Money," which is why he chose to work on the project. "I really thought it was going to be extraordinary," he told Texas Monthly. "But it just came out smaller than it should have been." He was apparently even warned against doing the movie. Church told The A.V. Club: "[My then manager] was like, 'You're gonna go do a movie with Marlon Brando that more than likely no one will see, vs. a really nice role in a movie that's probably going to win Best Picture next year?' And he was right!"

But even though "Free Money" didn't get the critical or audience reception that Haden Church may have wanted, he still placed a lot of value in being able to work with a Hollywood icon. "The experience working with Marlon in his penultimate performance was irreplaceable," he explained to The A.V. Club. "And I spent 10, 12 weeks with him in Quebec, and it was a remarkable experience, and I wouldn't trade it for any credit on my résumé."

The actor also confirmed that years later, Spielberg told him that he understood someone choosing Brando over him. We're glad to hear there's no bad blood between them in a business where some people like to hold onto grudges. Church's more successful works include being in the cast of "Wings," the movie "Sideways," and Netflix's "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery." Brando died in 2004.