Lance Archer Was Almost Cast As ‘Leatherface’ In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Says Andrew Bryniarski Politicked His Way Into Role

Archer was almost cast as the infamous horror movie character.

David Otunga welcomed Lance Archer onto The Wednesday Hang, and during their chat, they discussed Archer’s past acting experiences and potential opportunities he may want to pursue.

Archer would go on to tell the story of how he was almost cast as ‘Leatherface’ in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror movie franchise. He stated that Andrew Bryniarski, who took on the Leatherface role in 2003 and 2006, politicked his way into the opportunity.

“I was actually, momentarily, cast as Leatherface, back in the early 2000 remakes, and then I got politicked out the spot by Andrew Bryniarski, the guy who ultimately got the role.” Archer continued, “They cast the part. They wanted 6’5 or taller but they wanted big burly guys. Well, I wasn’t that. I was tall enough but I wasn’t big burly… The guy they originally cast hurt his back on the first day of shooting. So they were recasting the part. They wanted somebody who could fit the mask. I came in; I fit the mask. The director was like, ‘What do you do?’ This is early 2000s… I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m a pro wrestler and I’m a bouncer’ and he’s like, ‘Oh! So you can handle people’s bodies physically easily?’ And I go, ‘Oh yeah, absolutely,’ and he’s like, ‘Okay. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve got the part.’ This is the director telling me this. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m about to be Leatherface in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie,’ and then Andrew, who had been there — and we had conversations — he walked into the room and saw me in the mask and then just quickly left, didn’t say anything, and then they were like, ‘Okay, well, the director says you got the part so we’ll call you in a couple days with your contracts and talk shooting schedule,’ blah, blah, blah, and I was like, ‘Great.’ Two days went by, nothing. Three days went by, nothing. Finally, fourth day, I called them. I’m like, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ They were like, ‘Oh! Nobody told you?’ I’m like, ‘What?’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, they gave the part to Andrew.’ So, he supposedly went and talked to the executive producers because they were the same executive producers on the movie Pearl Harbor back in the day and he was in that, and ultimately he got the part so, it is what it is…”

There was a Texas Chainsaw Massacre integration in All Elite Wrestling that saw a Texas Chainsaw Massacre Deathmatch Champion be crowned.

If the quote in this article is used, please credit The Wednesday Hang with David Otunga with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription.