Here's how the original Derwin Davis found out he was being recast
Hollywood can be unpredictable; as an actor, no role is guaranteed, even if you have starred in the pilot of a new show. Sometimes, those shows become hits on television, leaving you to wonder, "What if?" The Game fans know Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis, the easily influenced wide receiver who let football life (and keeping up with a false image) change him into someone unnoticeable.
The series is a spinoff of Girlfriends, and the pilot episode aired as episode 18 (season six) of the show. Joan is trying to convince her cousin, Melanie, that giving up her dreams of studying medicine at John Hopkins for a school in San Deigo to follow Derwin (recently drafted) was crazy. Although we still see Tia Mowry as Melanie Barnett, a different actor plays Derwin.
Aldis Hodge plays the Sabers wide receiver in the pilot and did not know he was being recast until Pooch Hall called him. He does not dwell on the situation, but when asked by Huff Post contributor Ty Cole during an interview, Hodge revealed it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"I'll be honest with you — do I reflect on it? Absolutely not. I didn't watch an episode after I was recast. The experience left a bad taste in my mouth," he said. "At that time, you have to focus and remove any negative effects or any reminders so that you keep doing what you need to do and not get lost in the idea of grief."
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Do casting directors usually call and tell an actor that they're being recast? We don't know how that works, but it'll probably be better than hearing it from a friend.
"The recasting process was tough because I found out from [Hall]. Pooch is a friend of mine, and he called me. He said, 'Yo, why am I auditioning for your role?' I said, 'Bro, I don't know, but why are you?' He's the one that tipped me off, so I thank Pooch because it came as a surprise, but this is the way the industry is. I still rock with Pooch, and I'm still proud of him for doing the job he did. I'm happy for him because that was his lane, and that job was meant for him," he added.
Hodge was happy for his friend and realized everything happens for a reason. His career is thriving, and so is Pooch Hall's. That's all that matters.
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