Let’s just put this out there so there’s hopefully as little argument as possible, if an actor was ever up for the role of Lou Costello for a biopic, they not only need to be white, but they also need to be male, since race and gender-swapping a comedic legend such as Costello would be a serious insult to the man’s memory. There’s nothing racist about it, but if people are truly all about preserving the memory of various legends that helped to create such great moments as ‘Who’s on First?’, then they need to stick to the original format for once and not wonder if they can sneak in someone in order to be ‘equitable’ or ‘woke’. With that rant over it would also require someone who is actually funny and can convince the audience that they had to work to get where they were, since Costello wasn’t an instant hit when he made his way to stardom, as he had to work his tail off to even get noticed, and when he finally met up with Bud Abbott, who he worked with for quite a while, his success still wasn’t instant since the two had to work to entertain the crowds. But when their act did take off it was something to see no doubt, as their legend is still very easily remembered and enjoyed by many folks.
Here are a few individuals that might be able to play Lou Costello.
5. Jonah Hill
Depending on what his current weight is at, Jonah might have to wear a bodysuit, or not. It’s hard to say and it’s even harder to ask this actor about his weight since, to be fair, so many people have quizzed him about it that he’s grown resentful over the years and tends to snap at people when the subject comes up. But his comedic chops are good enough by the standards of many people to think that he might be able to step into a role such as this. He’d be one of the last on the list most likely since his style of humor is far different, but being that he’s an actor it’s likely that he could make it work.
4. Seth Rogen
With every list, there’s an oddball pick to be explained, and Seth would be it since he’s definitely not the same caliber as many comedians, no matter how many people would want to argue with this. He’s proven himself to so many in a lot of ways that it’s difficult to say what he can or can’t do without starting a fight, but at the same time, he’s not as convincing as people want to believe all the time. But for the role of Costello, it does feel that he might at least be worth looking at simply because he can definitely pull off the physical attributes well enough. The only challenge would be whether he can get loud enough for the role.
3. Zach Galifinakis
Zach is another one that might need to raise his volume just a bit and make his voice known, but his goofy style might be appreciated for something like this. It’s also been seen that he can handle drama, and Costello’s life had plenty of this in one form or another. But seeing Zach in the role of this individual does feel as though it could be interesting since the blend of comedy and drama would likely play to Zach’s skill set and could offer him another chance to grow as an individual and as an actor. He could make this work no doubt, but it might not be the best representation of Costello.
2. Jack Black
Jack Black definitely has the energy for a role like this if he could be coaxed into doing it. The actor hasn’t really been seen much in the past several years apart from whatever personal videos he releases. But this could be something that would be a great role for him since it might not even matter who was picked to star as Abbot, he would simply take over and perform in the way that people are bound to expect. Black has the kind of presence that makes people believe that whatever is about to happen is going to be insanely funny, and yet he can still perform drama as well, which is a great mix for this role.
1. Nick Swardson
For some reason, the appearance, the voice, and the ability to go nuts kind of play up to Nick’s abilities and it does feel as though he could take the role of Costello and run with it in a very meaningful manner. Some might want to disagree, and I don’t blame them, that he could take this role seriously and make it into something that would be worthy of the screen, but there is faith that things would work out.
It could be funny, but also informative.
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