Bob Costas is continuing to explore classic baseball films in his MLB Network limited series, Costas at the Movies.
In a clip from Monday’s episode, A League of Their Own director Penny Marshall tells Costas about casting the film. Demi Moore was originally signed on to play star catcher Dottie Hinson, but the film took so long to get made that Moore was pregnant by the time production came around.
“Bruce [Willis] literally screwed her out of the part,” Marshall jokes in the video.
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During the sit-down, Marshall also reveals Tom Hanks approached her to appear in the film because he’d “had some movies that didn't do so hot."
The episode will also feature Geena Davis, who memorably played the role of Dottie Hinson. She said she wasn’t much of a ballplayer before getting the part, but got pretty good.
So which one of the Rockford Peaches deserved the MVP in real life?
“Rosie O'Donnell, no doubt. She could actually play,” Davis tells Costas.
“It’s the little stories that you may not have known,” that make Costas at the Movies what it is, Senior Coordinating Producer Bruce Cornblatt tells The Hollywood Reporter.
In addition to A League of Their Own, the remaining episodes will tackle Eight Men Out (Feb. 4 with director John Sayles and star John Cusack) and The Natural (Feb. 11 with director Barry Levinson).
Among Cornblatt’s favorite moments from the remaining episodes include Levinson remembering editing The Natural while hearing Randy Newman composing the film’s now iconic theme in the next room.
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“The best possible outcome for people in my business is when they stop remembering something and start reliving it,” Cornblatt says. “Occasionally when you get it, you can see it in the looks in their eyes. You can see it in the sound of their voice.”
Costas at the Movies airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on the MLB Network. After each episode, the network will air the film that was discussed.
