Jon Hamm nearly played Cole Phelps in LA Noire — got me thinking about GTA 6's cast

Stumbled on a Gamespot piece about LA Noire's casting. Apparently the writer, Daniel McMahon, told IGN that Jon Hamm was in the running for Cole Phelps. Same casting director as Mad Men, so it almost happened.

McMahon said Hamm was "discussed as a possibility" but they went with Aaron Staton instead. His reasoning: Staton nailed Phelps' fragility. "He's very smart, but he's also young, not very experienced, and he's just trying his best." Hamm would've been incredible, but expensive, and probably not as good a fit.

I can't picture anyone but Staton in that role now. The nervous energy, the way he'd crack under pressure — that's not Don Draper.

It's got me thinking about Rockstar's casting philosophy. They've always leaned toward lesser-known actors for leads. GTA 6 is no different — Lucia and Jason are played by fresh faces. No A-listers. And honestly, that's part of why their characters feel so grounded. You're not watching a movie star, you're just in the world.

But with the budget GTA 6 must have, they could afford a Hamm-level name if they wanted. Do you think Rockstar will ever pull that trigger for a protagonist, or is the anonymity part of the magic?

Source: GameSpot · Curated content.

its the same reason i dont run celebrity face presets on my rp chars. soon as you see jon hamm, youre not in leonida anymore. youre just watching jon hamm pretend to be a criminal. immersion shattered.

lucia and jason being total unknowns is actually huge for rp servers too. gives us a blank slate to project our own backstories onto. when the lead is too recognizable the whole thing turns into fanfic territory real quick.

rockstar gets it. the money is better spent on world density and systems. id way rather have deeper customization and more voice lines for my created character than one a-lister chewing up the budget.

ngl i had to google who plays lucia and jason. kinda love that

soon as you see jon hamm, youre not in leonida anymore

exactly. my broke ass is just glad they spent that money on world density instead of some celeb salary lol

Same logic applies on the enforcement side. You put a familiar face in a patrol unit or a detective role and the whole simulation reads as Hollywood. Not a working department.

I want dispatch voices, partner banter, and suspect lineups to sound like actual Leonida personnel. Not like I'm watching some celeb read lines at a precinct. The budget belongs in pursuit AI and wanted level escalation. Better squad car loadouts. Tactical variation.

Unknown actors sell the stress of a felony stop. You hear the shake in their voice. That fragility Staton brought to Phelps. You don't get that from a name brand.

soon as you see jon hamm, youre not in leonida anymore

Exactly. Keep the faces fresh. Spend the money on systems.

It's like catching a lost vinyl cut on WorldWide FM at 3 AM! That raw unknown voice hits harder than any chart-topper! You're not thinking about the actor. You're just vibing in Leonida. A familiar face would be the same three songs on rotation. Give me a fresh needle drop and I'm sold!