Good Omens: Neil Gaiman Originally Considered Hugh Grant to Play Aziraphale

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Good Omens: Neil Gaiman Originally Considered Hugh Grant to Play Aziraphale

Prior to Michael Sheen’s casting as Aziraphale, Good Omens creator Neil Gaiman has confirmed that there was another British actor he considered for the role of the Prime Video adaptation’s lead angel. In response to a fan’s question on Tumblr, Gaiman revealed that he originally wanted Golden Globe winner Hugh Grant to play Aziraphale opposite Sheen’s Crowley, which he believes “would have been a lot more sinister” if The Twilight Saga actor had indeed end up playing the lead demon.

“I remember spending a lot of time pondering who Aziraphale could be back when Crowley was going to be Michael, and I think Hugh Grant was a leading contender in my head, but then somewhere in the middle of writing episode 3 Crowley became David Tennant and Michael Sheen became Aziraphale and once that had been decided it couldn’t have been anyone else,” Gaiman wrote.

Who’s the cast of Good Omens?

Based on Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel, Good Omens is led by Sheen as the fussy angel and rare book dealer Aziraphale and Tennant as the fast-living demon Crowley. Joining them in Season 2 are returning cast members Jon Hamm, Doon Mackichan, Gloria Obianyo, Derek Jacobi, Liz Carr, Quelin Sepulveda, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith, Niamh Walsh, Shelley Conn, Paul Adeyefa, Michael McKean, Miranda Richardson, Maggie Service, Reece Shearsmith, and Nina Sosanya, with some of them set to portray new characters.

“Season 2 explores storylines that go beyond the original source material to illuminate the ineffable friendship between Aziraphale, a fussy angel and rare-book dealer, and the fast-living demon Crowley,” reads the synopsis. “Having been on Earth since The Beginning, and with the Apocalypse thwarted, the duo are getting back to easy living amongst mortals in London’s Soho. That is, until the archangel Gabriel turns up unexpectedly at the door of Aziraphale’s bookshop with no memory of who he is or how he got there.

“While Crowley is leery as to why the archangel has come to the bookshop, Aziraphale is keen to solve the mystery behind Gabriel’s condition. However, hiding the archangel from both Heaven and Hell quickly disrupts their lives in unforeseen ways. To solve this mystery and thwart Heaven and Hell in the process, the duo will need more than a miracle; they’ll need to once again rely on each other.”

Good Omens is created and executive produced by Gaiman, who serves as the showrunner alongside director Douglas Mackinnon. Executive producers are Mackinnon, Rob Wilkins, John Finnemore, and Josh Cole, with Finnemore to co-write the second season with Gaiman.