Before David Huddleston was solid as "Big" Jeffrey Lebowski, the Coens viewed as Robert Duvall (who did not like the script), Anthony Hopkins (who wasn't interested in enjoying an American), Gene Hackman (who was taking a split from performing at the time), Norman Mailer, George C. Scott, Jerry Falwell, Gore Vidal, Andy Griffith, William F. Buckley, and Ernest Borgnine.