Summary
- Timothy Olyphant’s portrayal of Raylan Givens in Justified has become his signature role and is arguably his best-known character.
- James LeGros was the first actor to play Givens in the 1997 TV movie Pronto, but his portrayal was considered less interesting and charismatic compared to Olyphant’s.
- Despite not being the right fit for Raylan, LeGros later joined Justified as Wade Messer and delivered a strong performance in that role.
Justified’s Raylan Givens has become one of Timothy Olyphant’s defining characters, but he wasn’t the first actor to play the character onscreen. Olyphant has become something of an unofficial Western icon, thanks to Deadwood, The Mandalorian’s Cobb Vanth and even his vocal cameo as the suspiciously Clint Eastwood-like “Spirit of the West” in Rango. Out of all those roles, Justified’s laconic U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is arguably his best-known and has become his signature character.
Justified‘s series finale aired in 2015, though audience demand for more Raylan eventually led to the revival miniseries City Primeval. The new season has scored great reviews and ratings, meaning further Justified spinoffs are almost a certainty, and Olyphant could be donning Raylan’s trademark Stetson hat for years to come. The actor has made such an indelible impression on the part it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing Raylan – even though Olyphant is the second actor to play the part.
James LeGros Was The First Actor To Play Marshal Raylan Givens
Raylan Givens’ screen debut came with the 1997 TV movie Pronto, with James LeGros (Point Break) playing the character. Pronto adapted the Elmore Leonard novel of the same name, with the Showtime movie casting Peter Falk as Miami bookie Harry, who has to flee when the mob orders a hit on him. LeGros’ Raylan tries to get Harry to testify in exchange for protection and is a key supporting player throughout. Pronto received broadly positive reviews when it aired but is still considered one of the lesser Elmore Leonard adaptations.
It appears the author wasn’t fond of LeGros’ take on his creation if a 2010 interview with NJ.com is anything to go by. When asked for his thoughts on Pronto’s Raylan, he stated “Ohhhh. James LeGros, is he still acting?” and followed with “They got the wrong hat for him.” In truth, the hat and suit given to LeGros are completely ill-fitting, and his take on Givens is goofier. That said, LeGros uses Raylan’s outward cartoonishness to disarm those around him, and he can turn violent if the situation calls for it. Overall though, LeGros’ Givens is far less interesting and charismatic when compared to Olyphant’s.
James LeGros Later Became An Enemy Of Raylans On Justified
Despite Leonard’s opinion of LeGros as a performer, he’s a fine character actor in his own right; he was just wrong for that particular role. In later years he made more of a mark with roles in Ally McBeal and Kirsten Stewart drama Certain Women. He also joined Justified during its second season as Wade Messer, a dimwitted criminal who runs across Raylan several times. In season 2, he helps Dickie Bennett (Jeremy Davies) get revenge on Raylan by hanging him from a tree by the legs and planning to beat him to death with a bat; luckily, Raylan is saved by old foe Boyd (Walton Goggins).
In Justified season 3, Raylan arrests Messer after he again tries to kill him and returned one last time in season 5. Wade’s return is literally short-lived, as the equally dimwitted Dewey Crowe (Damon Herriman) is forced to kill him after he’s caught skimming from the Crowe family. Messer’s prolonged death is one of the most unsettling scenes of Justified’s fifth season, and overall, LeGros proved to be much stronger as Wade than he ever was as Raylan.
Source: NJ.com