Heading into last week's D23 event in Anaheim, Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man), Tom Pelphrey (Iron Fist), and Bill Skarsgård (It: Welcome to Derry) were named as frontrunners for the role of Professor X in Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot.
Ultimately, the role went to Abbott, leaving him to follow in the footsteps of Sir Patrick Stewart. Pelphrey came close, and in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter shortly before D23, he opened up about being a runner-up for Charles Xavier.
"When it comes to opportunities like [Professor X], I am always of two minds. I am always a little torn in half," he started. "That’s a very long, serious commitment, and that makes me genuinely nervous because a lot of things can change in that time. So half of me thinks an experience like that could be cool and exciting, while the other half of me is a little worried about what could happen."
Pelphrey, who has received widespread acclaim for his work in Task, went on to say it was "incredible" to be in the mix, expressing his gratitude to even be considered. He also has no hard feelings about being passed over for X-Men.
"You feel like you’ve done something wrong if you didn’t get it, but it’s just not true. There are so many amazing opportunities, and to do one means you cannot do all the other ones," the actor mused. "Every choice, in a way, is a sacrifice of all the other opportunities you’re not going to be able to do."
"I tread lightly now. If something excites me — such as meeting a Louis Leterrier or a Jake Schreier [X-Men director], and I love them and enjoy talking with them — I’ll be like, Okay, let’s try this, but no guarantees ever. So that’s where I’m at now. It’s easy come, easy go."
On a more jovial note, Pelphrey admitted he isn't too disappointed about not being required to shave his head to play the wheelchair-bound leader of the X-Men (well, presumably; some fans believe we'll see a Krakoan Age-style Professor X).
"I’ve also got a fat head. I have a watermelon. I was like, 'If we’re even going to have this conversation, go into your AI image generator and look at me with a shaved head. That alone could be horrifying enough,'" the actor joked. "I’m not kidding. The only hat I can wear is a fitted size eight. It is empirically a big fat head, and I don’t know if we want to see it shaved."
There's always a chance that Pelphrey plays another character in X-Men or the wider MCU, especially as he clearly impressed Marvel Studios enough to be a finalist for the role of Charles Xavier. With Finn Jones returning as Danny Rand in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, perhaps he'll take another crack at his Iron Fist character, Ward Meachum.
For now, the cast of X-Men is quickly taking shape as Marvel Studios looks to put mutants front and centre in the MCU. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed that more actors will be announced down the line, and we know the full team roster has yet to be revealed.
Directed by Jake Schreier (Thunderbolts*), the untitled X-Men movie stars Kit Connor (Heartstopper) as Scott Summers, Sadie Sink (Spider-Man: Brand New Day) as Jean Grey, Christopher Abbott (Catch-22) as Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette (Obsession) as Rogue, and Maya Boyd (& Juliet) as Storm. Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) will play Nathaniel Milbury.
X-Men will be released exclusively in theaters May 5, 2028.