SilverWook said:
if an actor is keeping his schedule open for a film they expect to be in, and they get replaced on a whim, they deserve some financial compensation.
The whole production gang behind LOTR seem like a lovely bunch of people. But then there is the story of how Stuart Townshend spent two months of intense training to play Aragorn. Presumably turning down work to do that training and then turning down a sh*t-ton of work to free up the time for the year-long shoot ahead...
...Then they fired him the day before filming began and refused to pay him anything. Of course they replaced him with Viggo Mortensen, one of the best casting decisions of the last two decades but it's stilll a sh*ty way to treat somebody.
btw Viggo would be amazing in EpisodeVII! As a grizzled Republic General "IT'S A TRAP!"