‘Sunset Boulevard’ Came Close To Having These Other Legends in Its Cast

The Big Picture

• Gloria Swanson wasn’t originally considered for the role of Norma Desmond, but she made it iconic.
• William Holden’s struggle in real life is reflected in his role as Joe Gillis.
• Sunset Boulevard remains a classic due to Wilder’s direction and Swanson and Holden’s performances.

Few films have captured the zeitgeist of Hollywood’s Golden Age with the same success as Sunset Boulevard. Billy Wilder‘s dark comedy/noir was one of the first to take a bold, near-meta look at the film industry and shed light on its more harsh realities. Sometimes zany, other times immensely tragic, the story about an uncomfortable partnership between a struggling writer and a forgotten actress was shocking in its day, and remains a beloved classic, thanks to Wilder’s direction and the power of its leads, Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, and William Holden as Joe Gillis.

Shockingly, though, neither were Wilder’s first choice for their respective roles. In fact, Swanson wasn’t even on the director’s list at all, with Wilder considering a slew of other stars. And even once she was in contention, a request from the director nearly kept Swanson from taking on the part. Joe came even closer to going to another actor, but, lucky for Holden, the story was a little too close to the original choice’s reality for his comfort.

What Is Billy Wilder’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ About?

The film follows screenwriter, Joe Gillis (William Holden), who stumbles upon a mysterious mansion on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. In the eccentric manor lives the even more eccentric Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). A former star of the silent picture era, Desmond is a recluse who believes she can make a great comeback with a script she’s developing. She enlists Joe to help her write the film, and, in return, she cares for the struggling dramatist by allowing him to live in her mansion. The cozy arrangement doesn’t last for long as Norma unravels, and ultimately ends with Norma being taken away after killing Joe. Before being carted away, she delivers the famous last line, “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.”

The film was a massive hit, garnering numerous award nominations, praise, and being one of the first films to discuss the sexist realities that plagued Hollywood starlets as they matured. Swanson, herself, understood this better than anyone as she, like her character, had been a star of silent films. As she aged and as sound was implemented, Swanson was pushed out of films. Sunset Boulevard was Swanson’s grand re-entry to the industry. Her performance was received with overwhelming success, and even got her an Oscar nomination. Holden’s role of Joe was also praised. Thanks in large part to the duo, the film remains considered one of Billy Wilder’s all-time best.

Gloria Swanson Wasn’t Initially Considered for ‘Sunset Boulevard’

Swanson’s performance as Norma Desmond is one of the greatest in film history. The character has had a long life in popular culture since, from quotes, to spoofs, to being brought to life on stage by the likes of Glenn Close and, more recently, Nicole Scherzinger and Sarah Brightman in various productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s musical adaptation of the property. But it’s safe to say that, without Swanson’s original take on the character, Norma Desmond would not be the classic character with which audiences have both sympathized and identified with. So, it may be surprising to learn that Swanson wasn’t even on Wilder’s radar for the character initially.

In a process reminiscent of Scarlett O’Hara casting, The Guardian recollects on a long list of actresses who nearly got the role of Desmond. According to the article, Wilder initially wanted Mae West for the role. As explained by The New York Times, West rejected the role, as she didn’t want to play a fading movie star. Next in contention were Mary Pickford and Pola Negri, who also turned down the part. After having no luck with his initial choices, Wilder began to think about Swanson and called the actress to ask if she would consider making a screen test.

Gloria Swanson Was Frustrated During the Casting Process

Swanson, however, was offended at the idea of having to prove herself. According to The Guardian, the actress would recall saying, “‘Me? Test?’ I was revolted.” She continued to explain that she had “Never made a test in my life… I was rude to him. I said what the hell do you have to test me for? You want to see if I’m still alive, do you? Or do you doubt that I can act?” Ultimately, Swanson agreed to do the test, and it was clear to Wilder that the film had finally found its Norma. Swanson’s daughter, Michelle Bridget Farmer, said that “When she got the part, she was thrilled.”

Norma Desmond has since become Swanson’s most iconic role, and it’s easy to see why. The actress uses everything at her disposal to create the character: her voice, her appearance, the way she moves around in almost a delusive state from the time she’s introduced. One moment she’s frightening, the next she’s sympathetic, and, most intriguingly, she’s often both. Swanson owned the parts of her that were similar to Desmond and used them to create a character larger than life, yet tragic and human. It truly was a role that was made for her. However, one of the film’s stars was less enthusiastic about the material.

William Holden Was Perfect for ‘Sunset Boulevard’

The search to find Norma wasn’t the only production difficultySunset Boulevard faced. The vital role of Joe Gillis, whose floating dead body iconically opens the film and serves as the audience’s guide into the zany and bleak story, was originally going to be played by Montgomery Clift. Clift had joined the film, but dropped out just two weeks before filming began. The Telegraph explained that some sources have claimed that the character was a little too close to reality for Clift’s liking, as he was reportedly seeing an older woman, and feared comparisons to the relationship between Joe and Norma.

Another actor with similarities to Joe was brought in to replace Clift. Now considered one of the greatest stars of classic films, William Holden was struggling at the time of Sunset‘s production, according to his costar, Nancy Olsen, who played Betty Schaefer in the film. “William Holden was really struggling before this film… His career was in crisis, he was trapped in an unhappy marriage. He was Joe Gillis.” Under contract to Paramount (the studio where the picture was being made), Holden was cast as Joe.

The addition of Holden reflects that of Swanson’s. The part was close enough to his reality to help craft a protagonist the audience could relate to, even when he embodies less than honorable motives. Joe is an everyman thrown into an extraordinary situation, and it makes his looming fate one that audiences hope he can escape, despite the picture’s start making it inevitable. His performance adds an overpowering sense of dread by being so relatable and likable, which keeps the film engaging throughout. Sunset Boulevard remains one of the most important films about Hollywood in movie history. A cornerstone in the career of Billy Wilder, the film also helped reinvent its stars, Gloria Swanson and William Holden. Despite not being the first choice for either role, their casting helped make the picture the classic it is today. It may have been a long process in finding the right Norma and Joe, but they were certainly right and ready for their close-up.

Sunset Boulevard is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.

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