“Look, we saw some amazing people. Scarlett Johansson was great. It was a great audition, I’m telling you. But the thing with Scarlett is, you can’t wait for her to take her clothes off. I keep trying to explain this. Salander should be like E.T. If you put E.T. dolls out before anyone had seen the movie, they would say, ‘What is this little squishy thing?’ Well, you know what? When he hides under the table and he grabs the Reese’s Pieces, you love him! It has to be like that.”
This would be David Fincher, director of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, on casting Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander instead of Scarlett Johansson, who was allegedly being considered for the part at one point.
All I can say (about the entire thing, really), is WHAT? Scarlett Johansson as Lisbeth Salander? Squishy E.T.? A personal slight on Rooney Mara’s endearing gawkiness? REESE’S PIECES? What the hell is this guy on, and can I possibly get me some of it?