For decades, fans of Seinfeld have wondered what the show might have looked like if the cast had been just a little bit different. Now, thanks to Jason Alexander, the actor who famously played George Costanza, those musings have some real substance. On a recent episode of his podcast, Really? no, Really?, Alexander lifted the lid on the high-profile names who were nearly cast as the neurotic, balding sidekick—and the revelations are as surprising as they are entertaining.
Alexander, whose portrayal of George Costanza remains one of television’s most beloved and exasperating characters, didn’t hold back as he recounted the casting process that could have changed comedy history. “I know some of the people that they either offered the role to or —” Alexander began, before listing, “So, I know about Chris Rock. I know about Danny DeVito. I know about Paul Schaefer. And I know about, um, Rosie O’Donnell.” According to People, these revelations came during a conversation with co-host Peter Tilden and guest Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, author of the 2016 book Seinfeldia.
The list of contenders is, frankly, a who’s who of 1990s pop culture. Chris Rock, known for his razor-sharp stand-up and later for his roles in both comedy and drama, was apparently in the running. Danny DeVito, the diminutive powerhouse with a knack for scene-stealing, was also considered. Then there’s Paul Schaefer, the legendary bandleader of Late Show with David Letterman fame, and Rosie O’Donnell, who would go on to become a talk show giant in her own right.
But the surprises didn’t stop there. When Alexander asked Armstrong if she remembered any other notable names, she replied, “The only other one that I remember because it was so off the beaten path was Buscemi — Steve Buscemi.” That’s right: the future star of Fargo and Boardwalk Empire was, at least for a moment, a possible George Costanza. Armstrong admitted, though, that these “alt casting stories” are notoriously hard to verify. As she put it on Closer Weekly, “Some people will tell you like they’re honest, and Chris Rock will be like, ‘Yeah, sure. I was up for that.’ Other people get a little embarrassed. And then I think there’s a third category of people who don’t maybe know or remember that they were up for — ‘up for’ is real slippery.”
That slipperiness is part of what makes these stories so fascinating. Fans love to imagine the alternate universes where their favorite characters were played by someone else, but as Armstrong noted, “It’s more just like people being like, ‘I’m pretty sure we were thinking about Rosie O’Donnell.’” The lines between official offers, auditions, and mere discussions can get blurry, especially as the years go by and memories fade.
But one story is a bit clearer. According to Marie Claire, Jerry Seinfeld himself revealed during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show that Rosie O’Donnell actually auditioned for the role of Elaine Benes, the only main female character in the original cast. That role, of course, eventually went to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, whose performance would win her critical acclaim and a permanent place in sitcom history.
All of this talk of what might have been only adds to the legend of Seinfeld, which premiered in 1989 and was co-created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David. The show, famously described as a “show about nothing,” chronicled the day-to-day absurdities of a group of friends living in Manhattan. Alongside Alexander’s George, the main quartet included Jerry Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes, and Michael Richards as the eccentric neighbor Kramer. Their chemistry was, by most accounts, lightning in a bottle—a blend of comedic timing, relatable neuroses, and New York attitude that struck a chord with audiences nationwide.
Given that, it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting the role of George Costanza. Yet, as Alexander candidly admitted on his podcast, he didn’t always see himself as the obvious choice. Both he and actor Larry Miller auditioned for the part at the same time, and Alexander initially believed Miller would get the nod, largely due to Miller’s friendship with Jerry Seinfeld. “I thought Larry was going to get it,” Alexander recalled. But fate—and perhaps a certain indefinable quality—put him in the spotlight instead.
Alexander’s run as George Costanza lasted from 1989 to 1998, a span that saw Seinfeld become a cultural phenomenon. The show’s unique blend of observational humor, social commentary, and memorable catchphrases (“No soup for you!”) made it a staple of American television. The chemistry among the cast was so strong that, years after the series ended, the group reunited for a special arc in season 7 of Larry David’s HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Reflecting on that reunion in the 2025 book No Lessons Learned: The Making of Curb Your Enthusiasm as Told by Larry David and the Cast and Crew, Alexander was candid about his initial reservations. “Initially, I had concerns that a reunion show wouldn’t be a good thing to do, or a fun thing to do. We hadn’t worked as a group in 10 years. So we’re all 10 years older,” he said. He worried that “what was barely charming on characters in their 30s and 40s may be completely devoid of charm in their 40s and 50s, and that may be a mistake.” Yet, once the cast was back together, those doubts melted away. “The ensemble feeling that we had, the affection that we had for each other, it was immediate,” Alexander recalled, adding that being back on set felt like “a time tunnel.”
It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Seinfeld—and to the magic that happens when the right people come together at the right time. As the show continues to attract new generations of fans via streaming platforms, the stories behind its creation remain a source of fascination. Who knows what might have been if Chris Rock or Danny DeVito had been cast as George? The possibilities are endless, but for many, the reality is just about perfect.
As the curtain falls on these casting what-ifs, one thing is clear: the world got the George Costanza it needed. And, as Alexander’s stories remind us, sometimes the best things happen when the stars align in unexpected ways.