Editing The Silence of the Lambs (film) (section)

===Casting===
[[Jodie Foster]] was interested in playing FBI agent Clarice Starling immediately after reading the novel.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mishra |first=Anubhuti  |date=June 14, 2023 |title=20 Best suspense movies as per IMDb that will keep you hooked |url=https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/20-best-suspense-movies-as-per-imdb-1191210 |work=[[Pinkvilla]] |access-date=July 20, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221193233/https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/20-best-suspense-movies-as-per-imdb-1191210 |archive-date=December 21, 2022}}</ref> However, despite having just won an [[Academy Award for Best Actress]] for her performance in ''[[The Accused (1988 film)|The Accused]]'' (1988) at the [[61st Academy Awards]], Demme was not initially convinced that she was right for the role.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Total Film Interview – Jodie Foster|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-total-film-interview-jodie-foster|work=[[Total Film]] |location=Bath, England|access-date=March 14, 2014|date=December 1, 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314224107/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-total-film-interview-jodie-foster|archive-date=March 14, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Cindy|title=Mindhole Blowers: 20 Facts About The Silence of the Lambs That Might Make You Crave a Nice Chianti|url=http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/mindhole-blowers-20-facts-about-the-silence-of-the-lambs-that-might-make-you-crave-a-nice-chianti.php|work=Pajiba|access-date=March 14, 2014|date=February 27, 2012|archive-date=March 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314223019/http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/mindhole-blowers-20-facts-about-the-silence-of-the-lambs-that-might-make-you-crave-a-nice-chianti.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Having just collaborated on ''[[Married to the Mob]]'' (1988), Demme's first choice for the role of Starling was [[Michelle Pfeiffer]], who turned it down, later saying, "It was a difficult decision, but I got nervous about the subject matter."<ref name=bws>The Barbara Walters Special, American Broadcasting Company, 1992</ref> He then approached [[Meg Ryan]], who also turned it down for its gruesome themes. The studio was skeptical about [[Laura Dern]] as a bankable choice,<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Cindy|title='Silence of the Lambs' director admits he didn't want to cast Jodie Foster|url=https://www.nme.com/news/film/silence-of-the-lambs-director-admits-he-didn-t-wa-874781|work=[[NME]] |location=London|access-date=March 14, 2018|date=April 2, 2015|archive-date=January 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115195748/http://www.nme.com/news/film/silence-of-the-lambs-director-admits-he-didn-t-wa-874781|url-status=live}}</ref> so Foster was ultimately awarded the role due to her passion for the character.<ref>{{cite web|last=Maslin|first=Janet|author-link=Janet Maslin|title=How to Film a Gory Story With Restraint|url=https://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/lambs-ar3.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|access-date=March 14, 2014|date=February 19, 1991|url-access=limited|archive-date=January 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150117080955/http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/lambs-ar3.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Molly Ringwald]] auditioned but was deemed "too young".<ref>[https://variety.com/2024/film/actors/molly-ringwald-brat-pack-the-bear-feud-creative-vanguard-award-1235957763/ Molly Ringwald Felt Limited by 'Brat Pack' Label, But 'The Bear' and 'Feud' Roles Excite Her for What's Next]</ref>

For the role of Lecter, Demme originally approached [[Sean Connery]]. After Connery turned it down, [[Anthony Hopkins]] was offered the role based on his performance in ''[[The Elephant Man (1980 film)|The Elephant Man]]'' (1980).<ref>{{cite web|last=Odam|first=Matthew|title=AFF panel wrap: Jonathan Demme in conversation with Paul Thomas Anderson|url=http://www.austin360.com/weblogs/austin-movie-blog/2013/oct/26/aff-panel-wrap-jonathan-demme-conversation-paul-th/|work=[[Austin American-Statesman]] |location=Austin, Texas|access-date=March 15, 2014|date=October 26, 2013|archive-date=November 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141122115128/http://www.austin360.com/weblogs/austin-movie-blog/2013/oct/26/aff-panel-wrap-jonathan-demme-conversation-paul-th/|url-status=live}}</ref> When Hopkins's agent told him that a script was on his way titled ''The Silence of the Lambs'', Hopkins responded, "Is it a children's story?"<ref name="Setoodeh">{{cite news |last1=Setoodeh |first1=Ramin |title=Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins Reunite for 'Silence of the Lambs' 30th Anniversary |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/jodie-foster-anthony-hopkins-silence-of-the-lambs-30th-anniversary-1234887496/ |work=Variety |date=January 20, 2021 |location=Los Angeles |access-date=February 1, 2021 |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119160157/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/jodie-foster-anthony-hopkins-silence-of-the-lambs-30th-anniversary-1234887496/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hopkins called his agent back after reading the first 10 pages and said, "This is the best part I've ever read." He accepted the role after having dinner with Demme.<ref name="Setoodeh" />

Other actors considered for the role included [[Al Pacino]],<ref name="deadline">{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/jodie-foster-silence-of-the-lambs-bfi-1202202525/ |title=Jodie Foster Lifts The Lid On 'The Silence of the Lambs' At BFI – Q&A |last=White |first=Peter |date=November 6, 2017 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |location=Los Angeles |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106143625/http://deadline.com/2017/11/jodie-foster-silence-of-the-lambs-bfi-1202202525/amp/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Robert De Niro]],<ref name="deadline"/> [[Dustin Hoffman]],<ref name="deadline"/> [[Derek Jacobi]]<ref name="thewrap"/> and [[Daniel Day-Lewis]].<ref name="thewrap">{{cite web |first=Brent |last=Lang |url=https://www.thewrap.com/derek-jacobi-daniel-day-lewis-almost-played-hannibal-lecter/ |title=Derek Jacobi, Daniel Day-Lewis Almost Played Hannibal Lecter in 'Silence of the Lambs' |website=[[The Wrap]] |location=Los Angeles |date=September 11, 2013 |access-date=April 8, 2014 |archive-date=April 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411114328/http://www.thewrap.com/derek-jacobi-daniel-day-lewis-almost-played-hannibal-lecter/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Forest Whitaker]] has stated that he also auditioned for the role. The mask Hopkins wore became an iconic symbol of the film. It was created by Ed Cubberly, of [[Frenchtown, New Jersey]], who had made masks for [[NHL]] goalkeepers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://edcubberly.com/hannibal.html|title=Ed Cubberly - Hannibal Lechter Masks|website=edcubberly.com|access-date=August 25, 2019|archive-date=September 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903173505/http://edcubberly.com/hannibal.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hopkins developed his portrayal of Lecter by drawing inspiration from the [[HAL 9000]] computer as voiced by [[Douglas Rain]] in ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]],'' as well as the vocal patterns of writer [[Truman Capote]].<ref name="McGo">{{cite web |last1=McGowan |first1=Mark |title=How Anthony Hopkins Created And Became The Character Of Hannibal Lecter |url=https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/celebrity-film-and-tv-awesome-how-anthony-hopkins-created-and-became-the-character-hannibal-lecter-20161230 |website=LadBible.com |date=December 30, 2016  |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309214732/https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/celebrity-film-and-tv-awesome-how-anthony-hopkins-created-and-became-the-character-hannibal-lecter-20161230 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Slankard |first=Jacob |date=2023-10-07 |title=The Chilling Ways HAL 9000 Influenced Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter |url=https://collider.com/anthony-hopkins-hannibal-lecter-hal-9000/ |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Collider |language=en}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=February 2022}} In a 2001 interview with ''[[GQ]]'', Hopkins clarified that he did not base Lecter's vocal cadence on [[Katharine Hepburn]], as some people had believed. He also revealed that the decision to play Lecter as still and unblinking was not influenced by [[Charles Manson]], as some had speculated.<ref name="gq 2021">{{cite web |last=McGurk |first=Stuart |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/anthony-hopkins-interview/amp |title=Sir Anthony Hopkins: 'Where are the awards for nurses, surgeons and caregivers?' |website=[[GQ]] |date=September 2, 2021 |access-date=October 16, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016123421/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/anthony-hopkins-interview/amp |archive-date=October 16, 2021 }}</ref> Hopkins admitted to being intimidated by Foster, who had just won an Academy Award, and initially felt scared to talk to her.<ref name="Setoodeh" />

Gene Hackman was cast to play Jack Crawford, the Agent-in-Charge of the [[Behavioral Science Unit]] of the FBI in [[Quantico, Virginia]], but he found the script too violent.<ref name="deadline"/> [[Scott Glenn]] was then cast in the role. In preparation for the role, Glenn met with [[John E. Douglas]]. Douglas gave Glenn a tour of the Quantico facility and also played for him an audio tape containing various recordings that serial killers [[Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris]] had made of themselves raping and torturing a 16-year-old girl.<ref>{{cite web|last=Newton|first=Michael|title=Lawrence Bittaker & Roy Norris: Killing Time|url=http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/bittaker_norris/10.html|work=[[Crime Library]]|publisher=[[TruTV]]|location=Atlanta |access-date=March 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225102455/http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/bittaker_norris/10.html|archive-date=February 25, 2014}}</ref>{{sfn|Kessler|1993|p=258}} According to Douglas, Glenn wept as he listened to the recordings, and even changed his liberal stance on the [[death penalty]].{{sfn|Douglas|Olshaker|1995|p=162}}