Last fall, during production on Todd Phillips‘ The Hangover Part II, we learned that Mel Gibson was cut from an intended cameo due to crew complaints and that Liam Neeson had replaced him in a different role. Showblitz now reports it looks like you’ll have to wait for the DVD to see the Taken star as a Bangkok tattoo artist.
Phillips confirms that Nick Cassavetes “has been re-cast in the role originally envisioned for Mel Gibson.” During editing, they decided to cut the subsequent scene after Neeson’s cameo, so it didn’t make sense with the information given the audience that Neeson would appear.
They decided to re-shoot the scene and with Liam Neeson wrapped up in Clash of the Titans sequel shooting, they needed another actor. Phillips said “we were in a complete time crunch so I called up Nick and asked if he would do the part. He came in and crushed it and that is the scene that you will ultimately see in the film. [I’m excited for everyone] to see the film. It turned out great.”
So, there you have it. Another cameo ruined. Cassavetes, who has directed such films as My Sister’s Keeper, Alpha Dog, The Notebook, and John Q, has also appeared in Face/Off and most recently, Entourage. Check out the trailer for part two if you haven’t already.
The Hangover Part II hits theaters at the end of May.