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DiCaprio Nearly Voiced Ash Ketchum Post-Titanic
4 Dec
Summary
- Leonardo DiCaprio was considered for Ash Ketchum after Titanic's success.
- Producer Norman Grossfeld vetoed the casting to maintain Ash's familiar voice.
- Veronica Taylor, Ash's long-time voice actress, was unaware of the DiCaprio offer.
In the wake of his monumental success with Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio was reportedly considered for the iconic role of Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon franchise. A studio representative saw an opportunity to leverage DiCaprio's global fame to enhance the burgeoning Pokémon movie's appeal for its English-language release. The proposal aimed to capture audience attention and potentially attract celebrity interest.
However, the ambitious casting idea was ultimately shut down by producer Norman Grossfeld. Grossfeld's reasoning centered on audience familiarity, asserting that children were deeply connected to Ash's established voice. He believed that introducing a new voice, especially one belonging to a major Hollywood star, would disrupt this connection and alienate the existing fanbase.
Veronica Taylor, who had been the consistent English voice for Ash Ketchum, expressed surprise at the news. She maintained that her long-standing portrayal was integral to the character. Despite the missed opportunity for a star-studded casting, Pokémon continued its success with Taylor's familiar voice guiding Ash through numerous adventures.
