The actor Mike Myers originally wanted for ‘Dr. Evil’
The James Bond franchise has influenced the film industry in countless ways, shaping the modern thriller genre while also impacting the frameworks of popular culture across decades. However, one of its biggest contributions has to be the creation of Mike Myers‘ Austin Powers series. Satirising the espionage flicks that took themselves too seriously, Myers’ iconic parody has generated a unique legacy of its own.
Right from the first instalment – Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the enormous comedic value of the project was evident to most fans. Conducting a hilarious caricature of Bond’s glorified on-screen masculinity, Powers emerges as an absurd counterpart whose dedication to the ideals of “free love” is only matched by his hatred of his nemesis: Dr. Evil. Myers excelled in both roles, playing both sides of the narrative spectrum with a fresh approach.
In an oral history recorded by The Hollywood Reporter, Myers revealed his initial attraction to the opportunity of playing both characters: “I always loved the ‘We’re not so different, you and I’ scene. That was the main reason I wanted to play both Austin and Dr. Evil. The Dr. Evil voice is a little bit Lorne Michaels, there are no two ways about it, but there is a lot more Donald Pleasence in there than Lorne. Lorne has a pinky thing, but he doesn’t do it anymore.”
However, that wasn’t always the plan. Despite Myers’ denial, many claimed that Dr. Evil was based on SNL creator Lorne Michaels, but he didn’t even want to play the character at first. Originally, Myers wanted to cast Jim Carrey in the role because he thought Carrey’s mastery over physical comedy made him the perfect fit. But when those plans eventually fell through, Myers stepped up to fulfil the requirements himself.
In later years, Dana Carvey claimed that Myers had stolen the character from Carvey’s impression of Lorne Michaels. During an interview, he said: “The pinky thing was a made-up thing. Lorne doesn’t do that, but somehow it fit. The pinky thing I did do…. [We] never really talked about it. I talked about it to the therapist. There are a lot of moments in my life I wish I was more directly straightforward… I’ve basically let it go.”
Regardless of the controversial origins of the character, it’s almost impossible to imagine Carrey in the role after Myers’ excellent performance. Carrey had to decline the project because it clashed with the production schedule of Liar Liar, another iconic satirical comedy that solidified the Ace Ventura actor’s status as a comedic genius.
Watch a clip of Myers as Dr. Evil below.
