High Fidelity is the best-selling novel by Nick Hornby that was adapted into the 2000 film starring John Cusack.
It is now being developed into a TV series with one major change: the lead role is being written for a woman.
Let’s check out some of the other times that a woman stepped into a role originally created for a man.
Jennifer Goines (12 Monkeys)
Brad Pitt played Jeffrey Goines in the 1995 sci-fi film. When 12 Monkeys was adapted for TV, Jeffrey became Jennifer, giving us Emily Hampshire’s show-stopping performance.
Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (Battlestar Galactica)
When Ronald D. Moore’s re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica announced that Starbuck was going to be a woman, there were many skeptics. Katee Sackhoff ultimately landed the role and quickly won over viewers with her powerful portrayal.
Lenny (Legion)
Showrunner Noah Hawley first envisioned David’s friend Lenny as a middle-aged man. Once he met Aubrey Plaza, Hawley rewrote the role so she could play it.
Jeri Hogarth (Marvel Netflix Universe)
In adapting comic character Jeryn Hogarth for the Marvel/Netflix franchise, he became a she. Played by Carrie-Anne Moss, Jeri Hogarth is a fierce lawyer and the first lesbian character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Joan Watson (Elementary)
In this modern-day interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary stories, Lucy Liu plays former surgeon Joan Watson, a consulting detective and Sherlock Holmes’ sober companion.
The Doctor (Doctor Who)
While not a role that was ever explicitly written for a man, Jodie Whittaker is the first woman to step into the TARDIS as the Doctor. She made her debut in the 2017 Christmas special, and her first full season begins this fall.
Karsi (Game of Thrones)
Although Karsi only appeared in “Hardhome,” Birgitte Hjort Sørensen delivered a haunting performance. Director Miguel Sapochnik revealed that the character was originally written for a man but was recast as a woman during production, a decision that made a huge impact on an epic episode.
Erica Goldberg (The Goldbergs)
In real life, Adam F. Goldberg has two brothers: Barry and Eric. When turning his 1980-something childhood into a hit comedy series, Eric became Erica, played by Hayley Orrantia.
Blossom Russo (Blossom)
It’s hard to imagine that Blossom was almost a teenaged boy named Richie, played by Stephen Dorff. We can thank a female TV exec for suggesting the show center on a girl, ultimately leading to five seasons that starred Mayim Bialik.
Sharon “Boomer” Valerii (Battlestar Galactica)
Starbuck wasn’t the only BSG character re-imagined as a woman: Grace Park played Sharon “Boomer” Valerii. In the original series, Boomer was played by Herbert Jefferson Jr.
Detective Kono Kalakaua (Hawaii Five-0)
Grace Park not only went from one reboot to another, she was once again cast in a role that was first played by a man.
Harriet “Harry” Korn (Harry’s Law)
A short-lived legal dramedy from David E. Kelley, the lead role was supposed to played by a man. The best man for the job turned out to be a woman, and it was rewritten for Kathy Bates.
Amanda Clarke (Revenge)
Loosely based on The Count of Monte Cristo, Amanda is a woman out for revenge on the people who did her wrong, much like the titular character in the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas.
