Primarily comedic actor Bill Hader may have seemed like an odd choice to play Richie in IT Chapter Two to some, but here’s why he landed the role. A Saturday Night Live veteran, Hader had no formal acting training before he started to branch out from the sketch comedy show into film and TV roles. Of course, the viewers of HBO’s critically acclaimed series Barry might’ve had less trepidation about how Hader would take to a dramatic project. While Barry, which stars Hader as a hitman turned actor, is a dramedy, it’s allowed him to showcase his range as an actor.
One thing that did at least make perfect sense about Hader’s casting as IT Chapter Two’s adult Richie Tozier is that Richie was always the resident comedian of the group, and the recent sequel had Richie grow up to be a successful stand-up comic. Making a living being funny is certainly something Hader is quite skilled at, which comes in handy during some of the comic relief scenes in IT Chapter Two.
Considering how many comedians have proven adept at transitioning to dramatic roles, it’s not hard to imagine director Andy Muschietti choosing Hader to play Richie with that idea in mind. However, while that may have played a part, it wasn’t the primary reason he was cast.
Why Bill Hader Was Cast as Richie in IT Chapter Two
It turns out that the biggest force working in the favor of Bill Hader’s casting as Richie in IT Chapter Two was his “younger self,” IT star Finn Wolfhard. Once IT took off like a rocket at the box office, the media naturally began asking the quickly beloved kid members of Derry’s Losers’ Club just who they envisioned playing their characters as adults. Wolfhard, who’s also seen big success playing Mike Wheeler on Netflix’s Stranger Things, always gave a consistent answer, Bill Hader. Wolfhard never wavered on this support, either publicly or privately.
While one assumes Andy Muschietti wouldn’t have ultimately cast Hader if he didn’t feel he could do justice to the part, the director is said to have been impressed by Wolfhard’s dedication to having Hader play his adult self, especially since the two performers had never even met each other before. In interviews, Hader has thanked Wolfhard profusely for helping him get the coveted role, and joked about the young actor being the most powerful teenager in Hollywood. While IT Chapter Two wasn’t a perfect film, many would argue Hader’s Richie stole the show, especially his interactions with Eddie (James Ransone), and the heartbreaking resolution to their story. Anyone who loved Hader’s performance owes Wolfhard a thank you.
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