Jason Isaacs on the Role in Armageddon That Got Away
Jason Isaacs opens up about missing out on a major astronaut role in Armageddon, reflecting on how scheduling conflicts left him with a smaller part and a lingering sense of what might have been.
Jason Isaacs once came close to landing a much bigger part in one of the most talked-about blockbusters of the late '90s. These days, Armageddon is often remembered for its over-the-top plot and wild action, but when it hit cinemas in 1998, punters flocked to see it, making it the year’s box office champ. Despite the story being a bit of a stretch for anyone with a basic grasp of science, the film boasted a seriously impressive line-up, with Isaacs among the cast. This was before he became a household name as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series.
Armageddon, penned by JJ Abrams before his Star Wars days, spins a yarn about a massive asteroid on a collision course with Earth. NASA, in a move that’s raised a few eyebrows over the years, decides the best bet is to send a crew of oil drillers into space to blow it up. The cast list reads like a who’s who: Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, and more. Affleck, who played AJ Frost, once joked about the logic of training drillers to be astronauts rather than the other way round, only to be told by director Michael Bay to keep it to himself.
Missed Opportunities and What Could Have Been
Isaacs, already a respected actor at the time, ended up playing Dr Ronald Quincy, the scientist who first spots the looming disaster. But things could have turned out very differently. He revealed,
“I was offered a bigger part as an astronaut, but I was just about to start shooting Divorcing Jack, and my American agents couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t drop out to star opposite Bruce Willis,”
he told The Guardian.
“So I ended up playing a consolation prize, and had to stand on set near Bruce Willis for six months as the astronauts strutted past, thinking: that could have been me in one of those jumpsuits.”
While Isaacs might have felt a bit left out watching the main crew suit up for their big scenes, his decision wasn’t all bad. Divorcing Jack, though not a massive hit, was well received and gave him the chance to work alongside David Thewlis. The two would later cross paths again in the Harry Potter films, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Armageddon’s Legacy and Isaacs’ Career Path
Armageddon still has its fans, but it’s not exactly remembered for the acting. The film’s reputation rests more on its wild set pieces and outlandish story than on any one performance. In hindsight, Isaacs might have dodged a bullet by not being one of the heroes. Instead, he carved out a niche playing memorable villains, with standout roles in The Patriot, Harry Potter, The Death of Stalin, and more recently, The White Lotus.
Looking back, Isaacs’ time on Armageddon was a bit of a mixed bag. He missed out on the glory of being one of the blokes saving the world, but the path he took led to some of his most iconic work. Sometimes, the roles you don’t get end up shaping your career just as much as the ones you do.