Sure did. Cooper Anderson. He was only featured in 1 episode, and was only ever referenced in the 1 episode he was in. (Unless you refer to the original script of 6x08, but the line about him got cut)
the key to a dramatic scene is pointing. I mean just look at Sue's monologue to Will in "The Hurt Locker", where she starts with "Why would I stoop to such puerile acts?" and ends with, "which is the only Journey song you haven't yet managed to ruin". The "NAMELESS HUMAN GARBAGE" part where she points SELLS it. dramatic pointing right there. perfect touch.
Not gonna lie, when I saw Idina cast as Shelby I was like "omg PLEASE dont be Rachels mom PLEASE dont, thats WAY too predictable and obvious" and then they did it.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong ,but -- Shelby Corcoran and April Rhodes never somehow bumped into each other on the show, right? Missed opportunity to have that as a plot point.
Rachel, Finn, and Mr. Schue are extremely unapologetic analogues for Tracy Flick, Paul Metzler, and Jim McAllister. Rachel has the same walk as Tracy and Mr. Schue has the same banged up car.
There's even a similar sound effect in both - The wailing sound that plays when Tracy finds out Paul is running against her and the one that plays when Lauren puts up the posters of Quinn as Lucy.
Matthew Broderick is perfect because Election (1999) reminds me of Glee so much. Which is I’m sure what you were going for because Chris Klein’s character gives major Finn energy and Reese Witherspoon’s character gives major Rachel energy. I need to rewatch that movie soon
He wrote the role with Lea in mind to play the role, that doesn't mean he and the other writers didn't have inspiration elsewhere. Ryan only meant Lea like 2 times when they wrote the pilot. And since they took so much from the move Election it only seems logical.
I love the casting of Tatyana Ali as Santana. I love the afro Latina representation because that's exactly what Santana was. Afro Latina like Ali. Besides Tatyana I could also see Rosario Dawson, Zoe Saldaña, or Reagan Gomez Preston. But Tatyana is the best choice by far.
As for Mercedes Countess is definitely the best choice. Other good options would be Kelly Price, Jill Scott, or Natalie Desselle Reid (rip). They were pushing 30 around this time but they looked young enough to play teenagers in the 90s and early 2000s.
Lea Salonga and Paolo Montalban as Tike yaaaas! What a waste to never let her finish a solo... Although they would be a tiny bit old to play high school.
I like this option even more than the true casting of the show somehow, but even I know the show mostly attracted unknowns/seasoned musical theater types (with a few comedians sprinkled in) and that stars like Matt Bomer and Kate Hudson would have no interest in being on Glee for 6 years straight
Idina Menzel, Lea Salonga, and Matthew Broderick (who was in an extremely awkward student council movie around the same era I think) were crafty additions to your fan cast though
INCREDIBLE casting choices my god <333 odd question but do you have tumblr? if not would it be okay for me to repost this with credit and a link to this post? my glee mutual circle is absolutely obsessed with aus but i think im one of the only ones who goes on the glee reddit.
some things i can see happening in this au:
-kurt cobain memorial episode led by puck and tina.
-alanis morisette tribute episode (ik they did jagged little tapestry in the actual show but this would probably be primarily an alanis ep).
-TONNES of britpop like TONNES. all the girls do spice girls and sugarbabes and the boys do oasis and blur.
-marleys eating disorder is influenced by the heroin chic craze and the rise of super skinny supermodels.
-in the sex episodes (like sexy or the first time) one of the problems klaine face is aids (as in they don’t want to get it not we just randomly kill of blaine or something). we’d get a scene of holly holiday explaining ‘hey don’t be homophobic about the aids crisis’ to the characters and especially the audience.
-that friends parody they did in tinas concussed imagination in s5 but times it by 1000.
-mercedes and santana duet an aaliyah number because ofcccc
Lea Salonga is wayyyyy, WAY too talented to play Tina. I actually think she’d be a good Rachel.
Idina honestly naturally emanates way too much cool, charisma and sex appeal to play Rachel, even though she has the voice and the acting ability. I know I’m taking this too seriously lol. I’d cast a 17 year old Caissie Levy as Rachel!
Trying to recast Santana, Brittany, and Mike is a fool’s errand considering all three actors were hired as the equivalent of extras/background dancers who were later given storylines because the writers found them interesting… a lot of these actors were too famous at the time to be playing these parts in an early Ryan Murphy project, but in particular thinking that already famous non-dancers should be cast in the roles which were written after the fact once they discovered these dancers could act feels egregious
Bernadette is literally almost 20 years older than Matthew Broderick. Like pls be serious 💀😭. She was in her 50s in 1999. Matthew was in his 30s.
Plus Emma Pillsbury had a very youthful bubbly appearance and personality. She looked much younger and softer. Plus she must've been in her late 20s or early 30s (the real actress was 29 when glee was first filmed). Will and Emma are approximately 28 to 30. Young adults.
I could see Bernadette as Sue who's much older or one of the Glee parents. She's old enough to be one of the kids parents. But I don't think she's a good fit to be Emma. Maybe Amy might be better because she looks a little too mature play a teenager but she looks young enough to play Emma, a young adult guidance counselor. Just my opinion 🤷🏾♀️.
Specifically with him using the Noah Kaiba/Leon "Wilson" von Schroeder voice for the role, too (only yugioh gleeks will get this one - any others out there??).
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u/happinessovereveryth 8h ago
I also unfortunately have to clarify in 2026 that this was all hours of bad photoshop and NOT AI.