Trivia / Syriana

• Deleted Role: Greta Scacchi as Bob's ex-wife.
• Dyeing for Your Art: George Clooney put on a lot of weight (which later contributed to a severe spinal injury sustained during a stunt, which caused him to leak spinal fluid from his nose) and also shaved some of his hairline for this movie. That Academy Award was well-deserved.
• Fake American: Canadian Christopher Plummer as American Dean Whiting.
• Fake Nationality:
  • Alexander Siddig of English-Sudanese background, playing a prince of an unspecified Arabic emirate. And Indian Akbar Kurtha as his younger brother, prince Meshal.
  • Mark Strong, an Englishman, as Mussawi, a Middle Eastern mercenary.
• On-Set Injury: During the torture scene, George Clooney suffered head and spinal injuries and memory loss when he hit his head on the floor after the torturer knocked his chair over. The impact ruptured his dura mater, resulting in loss of cerebrospinal fluid. The injury was so painful that he contemplated committing suicide while recovering.
• Uncredited Role: Viola Davis as the CIA chairwoman.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Harrison Ford turned down the role of Bob Barnes. He later said it was one of the only career decisions he's ever regretted.
  • Matt Damon's part was written with Christian Bale in mind.

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