Tina Fey worked with Jen McNamara and Adam Bernstein for the casting of the series. Fey's first act as casting director was to cast herself as the lead character, Liz Lemon, who is said to be much like Fey herself when she first became head writer on Saturday Night Live (SNL). The next actor to be cast was Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan, who was then a former castmate of Fey's in SNL. Morgan was asked by Fey to play the role, and he believed it was "right up [his] alley and it was tailor made for [him]". Fey said that the character of Kenneth Parcell was written with Jack McBrayer in mind. McBrayer is an old friend of Fey (they worked together at Second City in Chicago), and she "really wanted him for that part and was very happy when no one objected".
Action star Wesley Snipes will
Rachel Dratch, Fey's longtime comedy partner and fellow SNL alumna, was originally cast to portray Jenna. Dratch played the role in the show's original pilot, but in August 2006, Jane Krakowski was announced as Dratch's replacement, with Dratch remaining involved in the show playing various characters. Fey explained the change by noting that Dratch was "better-suited to playing a variety of eccentric side characters", and that the role of Jenna was more of a straight-ahead acting part. Although Fey went on to say that "Rachel and I were both very excited about this new direction", Dratch said that she was not happy with the media's depiction of the change as a demotion. Dratch was skeptical about the reasons she was given for the change, and was not happy with the reduction in the number of episodes in which she would appear.
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Shortly following the casting of McBrayer and Dratch, frequent SNL guest host Alec Baldwin was cast as Jack Donaghy, the "totally uncensored" Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming. Fey said that the character of Donaghy was written with Baldwin in mind, and she was "very pleasantly surprised when he agreed to do it". Baldwin—who models his portrayal of Donaghy on SNL and 30 Rock producer Lorne Michaels—was reluctant to commit to a weekly television show, and agreed to appear in the pilot on the condition that he appear in no more than six episodes a season for six seasons. NBC, however, agreed to broadcast 30 Rock only if Baldwin would appear in every episode of the first season. Baldwin agreed to 12, but appeared in every episode.
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Action star Wesley Snipes will
Rachel Dratch, Fey's longtime comedy partner and fellow SNL alumna, was originally cast to portray Jenna. Dratch played the role in the show's original pilot, but in August 2006, Jane Krakowski was announced as Dratch's replacement, with Dratch remaining involved in the show playing various characters. Fey explained the change by noting that Dratch was "better-suited to playing a variety of eccentric side characters", and that the role of Jenna was more of a straight-ahead acting part. Although Fey went on to say that "Rachel and I were both very excited about this new direction", Dratch said that she was not happy with the media's depiction of the change as a demotion. Dratch was skeptical about the reasons she was given for the change, and was not happy with the reduction in the number of episodes in which she would appear.
Wesley Snipes to
Shortly following the casting of McBrayer and Dratch, frequent SNL guest host Alec Baldwin was cast as Jack Donaghy, the "totally uncensored" Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming. Fey said that the character of Donaghy was written with Baldwin in mind, and she was "very pleasantly surprised when he agreed to do it". Baldwin—who models his portrayal of Donaghy on SNL and 30 Rock producer Lorne Michaels—was reluctant to commit to a weekly television show, and agreed to appear in the pilot on the condition that he appear in no more than six episodes a season for six seasons. NBC, however, agreed to broadcast 30 Rock only if Baldwin would appear in every episode of the first season. Baldwin agreed to 12, but appeared in every episode.
Wesley Snipes in a movie
with Wesley Snipes
with Wesley Snipes,
Posted in Wesley Snipes
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