Jason Alexander once threatened to leave Seinfeld when he felt his character, George Costanza, wasn’t getting enough screen time.
This claim about the 64-year-old actor was made in his former co-star Michael Richards’ upcoming memoir, Entrances And Exits, which will be published on June 4.
The 74-year-old actor — who recently revealed about his battle with prostate cancer — wrote that his castmate’s outburst happened in 1991, while the show’s cast was working on the third episode of the third season, titled The Pen.
Richards recalled via Page six that while he accepted being left out of the episode with ‘equanimity’, his castmate was outraged by the perceived slight.
The artist recalled, “Jason threatens to quit after learning he isn’t in the episode either. He’s furious.’
Jason Alexander once threatened to leave Seinfeld when he felt his character, George Costanza, wasn’t getting enough screen time, Michael Richards claims in his forthcoming memoir, Entrances And Exits; Jason seen in 2020
He then wrote that Alexander was under the impression that he would be one of the main draws of the show.
“Jason came to the show with the most confidence of anyone. He had won a Tony Award on stage in New York…and until the table read for The Pen, he has assumed that Seinfeld is a buddy show, starring him and Jerry,” he recalled.
Richards added: “This business breeds both enormous egos and incredible insecurity, and this episode is one of those ego-shattering wake-up calls.”
The actor also wrote about an instance where he also faced humiliation after sitting at a table reading for the season two episode The Chinese Restaurant, which did not feature his character, Cosmo Kramer.
“I sit at the table without saying a single word, and that’s because not a single word was written for Kramer,” he said.
The artist went on to write that Seinfeld co-creator Larry David noted his disappointment and vowed that he would never be in a similar situation on the show.
Richards recalled fearing for his career after not being included in the show’s first official cast shoot.
The comedian also wrote that he did not expect his character to appear regularly on the sitcom after the first shortened season aired.
The 74-year-old actor — who recently opened up about his battle with prostate cancer — wrote that his castmate’s outburst happened in 1991, while the show’s cast was working on the third episode of the third season, titled The Pen.
The news about the 64-year-old actor was revealed in his former colleague Michael Richards’ upcoming memoir, Entrances and Exits, which will be published on June 4; seen in April
Richards recalled via Page Six that while he accepted being left out of the episode with “equanimity,” his castmate was outraged by the perceived slight.
He then wrote that Alexander was under the impression that he would be one of the main draws of the show
He ultimately stayed on alongside Seinfeld, Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus throughout the show’s nine seasons, which lasted from 1989 to 1998.
Richards went on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1993, 1994 and 1997 for his work on the show.
The artist was also nominated in the same category in 1995 and 1996.
Alexander received the same award a total of seven times for his work on the program.