- Cast the Runner-Up: Michael Stuhlbarg originally auditioned for the role of Shtetl husband in the prologue. He was at a disadvantage with other actors considered for the part due to not being fluent in Yiddish, but through his audition The Coen Brothers became interested in him for Larry.
- Creator-Driven Successor: To Barton Fink, another Coen brothers movie about an ordinary shmoe who suffers a parade of events ranging from unfortunate to terrifying for no discernible reason.
- Darkhorse Casting: Except for Spin City veteran Richard Kind, the leads were little known at the time. Michael Stuhlbarg had a successful theatrical career but was an unknown factor in the movies. Fred Melamed was a voice artist with some bit parts behind him, often in Woody Allen films. Sari Lennick had never appeared on-camera before, while the teens playing the Gopnik kids weren't even actors.
- What Could Have Been: Patton Oswalt auditioned for the role of Arthur Gopnik.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Trivia/ASeriousMan
FollowingTrivia / A Serious Man
Go To
