In a revelation from his new memoir, Ron Clements, co-director of Disney’s beloved animated feature Hercules, has disclosed that the character of Hades was originally conceived with the legendary Jack Nicholson in mind. The 1997 film is now widely regarded for James Woods’ iconic portrayal of the fiery god of the underworld. However, Nicholson’s involvement would have dramatically altered the character’s trajectory.
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Clements, 73, mentioned that he and fellow director John Musker had envisioned Nicholson as the perfect fit for Hades during the development phase of the movie. Musker even created an early character design that bore a resemblance to the celebrated actor known for films such as As Good as It Gets. “We wrote the part of Hades for one specific actor, having no idea whether or not he’d be interested,” Clements stated in his memoir, *Making Disney Magic . . . from a Mermaid to Moana*, which has recently been released.
In preparation for a pitch to Nicholson, the team went to great lengths. Notably, animator Andreas Deja crafted a unique animation test inspired by one of Nicholson’s famous lines from the film *A Few Good Men*. The line in question involved Nicholson’s character enthusiastically expressing his frustration, a tone they hoped would resonate with the actor during their presentation. “We pulled a line of Jack’s dialogue and had Andreas do an animation test of Hades to go with it,” Clements recounted, highlighting their creative method to win Nicholson’s interest.
The meeting appeared to be promising, bolstered by the fact that Nicholson was already a fan of Disney’s work, particularly *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*. To build rapport, Clements and his team showcased original pencil animations from this classic film, even bringing along Disney merchandise for Nicholson and his daughter, who was dressed as a character from the Disney universe. However, their excitement was soon overshadowed by contractual disagreements.
Clements noted that the complication arose not necessarily from financial demands but rather from Nicholson’s desire to secure a share of the film’s merchandise profits. “Jack wanted a piece of the film’s merchandising, which had been offered to him for *Batman*, but for Disney, that was an absolute dealbreaker,” he explained, leading to the necessity for casting discussions to continue.
Following Nicholson’s exit from consideration, the production team briefly turned their focus to actor John Lithgow. Without the need for an audition, they felt his existing body of work reflected the “snide, sardonic quality” that they had originally aimed to capture for Hades. Unfortunately, Lithgow’s performance during the recording sessions did not meet their expectations, with Clements expressing regret over the decision.
“It wasn’t Lithgow’s fault. It was our fault in casting the wrong actor for this particular role,” Clements admitted. The team reassessed their approach after Lithgow’s recording failed to impress then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner, which ultimately led to his departure from the project. Lithgow would later achieve notable success voicing Lord Farquaad in the animated *Shrek* franchise, a role under the direction of former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg.
At this juncture, James Woods entered the picture. After a period of silence from the studio, Woods, 79, expressed enthusiasm upon being offered the role. He brought a fresh energy to the character that was markedly different from what had been initially envisaged. “He totally made it his own,” Clements shared, referencing Woods’ improvisational skills which added memorable lines to Hades’ dialogue, such as, “Hey, you, get off of my cloud”.
Woods’ portrayal was embraced for its unique blend of wit and charisma, embodying a persona that blended aspects of a used-car salesman with that of a Hollywood talent agent. Through his distinctive delivery, he turned Hades into a standout character within the Disney pantheon. “I’m kind of on a schedule here. I got plans for August,” became one of his signature quips, showcasing Woods’ ability to infuse humour into the role.
As it stands, *Making Disney Magic… from a Mermaid to Moana* brings fans back to the creative process behind one of Disney’s most cherished animated films. While the potential casting of Jack Nicholson remains a fascinating ‘what-if’ scenario, it is clear that James Woods’ adaptation of Hades has captured the hearts of audiences and ensured his position as a memorable antagonist. The memoir is currently available, serving as a testament to Disney’s innovative storytelling and the creative challenges inherent in bringing animated characters to life.