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Josh Zuckerman "Takes Offence" at How He Landed Young Dr. Evil Role

Actor Josh Zuckerman humorously recalls taking offence at how he landed the role of Young Dr. Evil in 'Austin Powers in Goldmember'. He revealed casting director Jeanne McCarthy saw his profile on an episode of 'The West Wing' and thought he resembled the iconic villain. Zuckerman, a fan of the franchise, said it was a thrill to be part of the film despite the unusual audition story. While it remains the last installment, creator Mike Myers has recently hinted that another Austin Powers film could still be possible.

Key Points: Josh Zuckerman on Landing Young Dr. Evil Role in Austin Powers

  • Casting director saw his profile on TV
  • Role was for Young Dr. Evil
  • Zuckerman was a fan of the franchise
  • He recalls many auditions for the part
  • Mike Myers hinted at a possible new film
2 min read

Josh Zuckerman says he still "takes offence" at how he landed Young Dr. Evil role in 'Austin Powers in Goldmember'

Actor Josh Zuckerman jokes he still takes offence at the casting story for Austin Powers in Goldmember, revealing how a TV profile got him the audition.

"She said she was doing something else but happened to look at the TV, saw my profile and thought 'Oh! Dr. Evil!' Which I still to this day take offense at. - Josh Zuckerman"

Washington DC, March 15

Actor Josh Zuckerman recently reflected on how he landed the role of Young Dr. Evil in the 2002 film 'Austin Powers in Goldmember', joking that he still "takes offence" at the reason he was invited to audition, according to People.

Speaking in an interview, the 40-year-old actor recalled that the casting director noticed him by chance while watching an episode of the political drama .

According to Zuckerman, casting director Jeanne McCarthy happened to glance at the television while the show was playing and thought his profile resembled the iconic villain Dr. Evil.

"One of the funniest things is that the reason I even got an audition to play young Dr. Evil was that Jeanne McCarthy was watching -- I had done an episode of The West Wing -- and she was watching the show, and I guess she saw my profile," Zuckerman said, according to People.

"She said she was doing something else but happened to look at the TV, saw my profile and thought 'Oh! Dr. Evil!' Which I still to this day take offense at," he added with a laugh, according to People.

Despite the humorous remark, Zuckerman said it was an honour to be part of the popular spy-comedy franchise created by Mike Myers.

"I was a fan of the first two movies. It was a real thrill, and I remember there were a lot of auditions to get that role," he said, according to People.

In the film, Zuckerman portrayed a younger version of the villain in flashback scenes that show how Dr. Evil first met Number 2 during his youth.

The movie also starred Beyonce, Seth Green, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Mindy Sterling, Verne Troyer and Michael Caine.

Although Austin Powers in Goldmember was the last instalment of the franchise so far, Myers hinted in 2024 that another film could still happen, saying he "can neither confirm nor deny the existence or non-existence" of such a project.

Asked if the character still has more story to tell, the former Saturday Night Live star responded, "Absolutely," according to People.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Austin Powers was huge in India too! I remember watching Goldmember in college. It's interesting to hear these behind-the-scenes stories. The casting director saw a profile and thought "Dr. Evil"—that's actually pretty sharp observation for casting.
R
Rohit P
I get why he jokes about taking offence, but in the film industry, any recognition is good recognition! At least he got a memorable role out of it. Wonder if Mike Myers will really make another one?
S
Sarah B
While the story is amusing, it does highlight how subjective and random casting can be. An actor's entire opportunity hinged on someone glancing at a TV at the right moment. The industry needs more systematic processes, even for comedies.
V
Vikram M
Haha, typical filmy luck! Reminds me of the "right place, right time" stories we hear about our own actors. The role was small but being part of such a big franchise must have been awesome. Hope they make a new one!
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Nikhil C
The West Wing to Austin Powers is quite a shift! 😂 Fun article. It's nice to see actors looking back fondly on these early roles. The franchise had a great mix of humour that worked globally.

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