The 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers is praised for how realistically it shows the story of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. The show features a mix of well-known and up-and-coming actors, and it begins with a moving introduction from real veterans. However, before filming even began, a small controversy came up—Tom Hanks decided to remove actor Connor Ratliff from the cast.
So, what made Hanks make that call?
Connor Ratliff successfully auditioned for Band of Brothers
While casting for HBO’s Band of Brothers, Connor Ratliff was just getting started in the acting world. He had paused his studies at the University of Missouri to focus fully on acting, sharpening his skills at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA). The miniseries—based on Stephen E. Ambrose’s book and produced by Hollywood heavyweights Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg—was a massive break for any young actor.
Ratliff made it through several rounds of auditions and was eventually told he had landed the role of Pvt. John S. Zielinski Jr. Although it was a supporting role, it gave him real screen time alongside Damian Lewis, who played Maj. Richard Winters. Interestingly, Tom Hanks had not been present during Ratliff’s audition.
Tom Hanks had his say… And the answer wasn’t good
Connor Ratliff was ecstatic to be cast in Band of Brothers, and his excitement grew even more when he learned that Tom Hanks would be directing his episode.
“I was very excited,” he shared with The Telegraph years later. “They cut my hair. I remember the experience of going to the airbase and getting a costume fitting, and it was just such a huge production. And then I found out great news, like, the best news of all: Tom Hanks is directing your episode.”
But just a day before filming was set to begin, things took a sudden turn.
“The day before I was supposed to film, I got a call from someone in my agent’s office, saying you need to get to London right now,” Ratliff recalled. “I said, I’m going later this afternoon, I have a train ticket. They were like, no, go to the train station. Now. Get on a train, get to London. Tom Hanks has seen your audition tape and he’s having second thoughts. He thinks you have dead eyes.”
Once in London, Ratliff had to re-audition for the role of Pvt. Zielinski, this time in front of Hanks. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, as he was told they had decided to go in a different direction, selecting someone with a more military-like presence.
The part ultimately went to Adam Sims.
Connor Ratliff takes a decade-long break from acting
Connor Ratliff experienced a major career setback when he was cut from Band of Brothers. This, along with other struggles in the acting industry, took a toll on him emotionally, leading him to step away from acting for a time.
However, Ratliff remained involved in entertainment. He found a passion for improv comedy and became a popular performer at New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade. Though initially reluctant, he eventually made a return to performing on The Chris Gethard Show (2011–2018).
His comeback led to new opportunities, landing roles in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023), The Blacklist (2013–2023), and Search Party (2016–2022). He also gained recognition for portraying Star Wars creator George Lucas on The George Lucas Talk Show (2020–present) and made guest appearances on the podcast Double Threat with Julie Klausner and Tom Scharpling.
Turning rejection into a hit podcast
Despite his success, Connor Ratliff has never forgotten about his Band of Brothers snub – and he’s since used it to develop a hit podcast. Aptly titled Dead Eyes, the show focuses on not only the impact the rejection had on his career, but also explores how such events can foster creative opportunities.
“My favorite thing that people will sometimes say on the podcast is, ‘I started listening to it, hoping that we’d get to an ending. And now, I hope it doesn’t. I hope you don’t get what you’re looking for.’ In a way, the mystery is the hook,” he explained to The Telegraph.
As it’s grown in popularity, Dead Eyes has afforded Ratliff the opportunity to speak with several high-profile guests, such as Elijah Wood, Jon Hamm, Zach Braff and Judd Apatow. He’s even spoken with Tom Hanks’ son, Colin, who reacted to the story by saying Ratliff’s experience was “the exact opposite” of the reputation Hanks has developed within Hollywood.
In reality, this is the reason why the incident has stuck with Ratliff. “If I’d been up for a James Cameron thing and he was like, ‘I don’t know, you have dead eyes,’ it would’ve hurt me, but I would’ve thought, like, Oh well, James Cameron is tough,” Ratliff told Vanity Fair. “If I had been up for, you know, a little role in Eyes Wide Shut and Stanley Kubrick said, ‘You have dead eyes,’ I would’ve been like, In his case, I don’t know if that means I’ve got the part! The classic Kubrick stare is dead eyes.”
Connor Ratliff finally got a response from Tom Hanks
It was only a matter of time before Connor Ratliff spoke to Tom Hanks himself, and that moment came in March 2022. The actor appeared on an episode of Dead Eyes, and what could have been an awkward moment turned out to be cathartic for Ratliff.
When confronted with the comedian’s story, Hanks commented that “not a single moment of this rings a bell.” However, that didn’t stop him from apologizing to Ratliff. What’s more, the apology shows just how much this incident weighed on the actor, despite his not remembering it.
“Let me first take full responsibility for doing this to you,” Hanks said. “This was without a doubt the act of the director, and that was me.” He added that it was “one of those very, very subtle sort of decisions that aims the story in the direction you want it to go.”
He further revealed that he was “aghast” when he heard how his actions had impacted Ratliff.
“I actually got chilled,” he explained. “My heart rate skyrocketed and I said, I did … I did what? I did what? In the inner sanctum of whatever this casting session was on Band of Brothers … I’m sure I said, ‘I don’t know man, that guy’s got dead eyes.’ I could’ve said, ‘He’s got too blond of hair; he’s too tall and I can’t have the aide be taller than Captain Winters.’ I could’ve said, ‘He’s too short and slight’.
“I could’ve said any of these things, and they would have been true and they would’ve been the opinion. Whoever communicated to you what was said, in the inner sanctum, with such authenticity, should have their kneecaps broken, because that is … That is not allowed,” Hanks added. “It’s not quotable there. It’s off the record.”
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The interaction also saw Ratliff show Hanks his old headshot, to which the actor commented, “These are not dead eyes. Can I just say that right now from this 8×10 black and white.”