In an interview with Vanity Fair, Scott detailed his bitter experience on the set of “Saving Private Ryan,” revealing the reasons why he was barely on it:
“Saving Private Ryan was shot in the south of Ireland in 1997. I played a role in, five or six of these lines, the man who was about to lose his life. That’s beautiful. And I was shooting a Disney movie called “Miracle at Midnight,” and they wouldn’t let me be in this Spielberg movie. I’m totally devastated that I couldn’t make this film. So they ended up giving me this much smaller piece where Tom Hanks basically toppled me, and I just [muffles voice] ‘I’m so sorry about that!’ And a completely indistinguishable line that I have. But it’s still an amazing experience just to be on this long and incredible stretch of beach.“
Scott’s other acting commitments are not as culturally relevant as “Saving Private Ryan,” but they also took place during World War II. The culprit, “Miracle at Midnight,” is a Disney TV film about saving Jews during the Holocaust. I’m not sure if Scott is actively seeking out the role with World War II in mind, but it’s a pretty interesting coincidence.
While it’s never going to be a fat role, at least Scott will be more recognizable (I spent way too long looking for him for this part, FYI). Perhaps if Scott had kept that bigger role, he could also have given Spielberg some creative advice.