I just saw Baby Driver and, as great as Ansel Elgort is in the film, I can’t help but think that Miles Teller would have been equally awesome (if not more so) as getaway driver Baby. The two actors have appeared in many films together. They’re almost interchangeable.
But they’re also very different. And I rate Miles Teller so much higher as an actor. Miles also missed out on the lead role in La La Land to Ryan Gosling, so it would be a familiar situation. I swear Edgar Wright wrote the part of Baby with Miles Teller in mind. Here’s 8 reasons why Miles Teller should have played Baby. Spoiler alert!
1. Scars on face
Baby has scars on his face from a childhood car crash which killed his mother. Ansel sports two artificial scars in the film. But Miles actually have several scars on his face – from a car accident in 2007.
2. Baby’s real name IS Miles
Come on guys. Edgar Wright totally wrote the part for Miles Teller. He’s a baby-faced guy who drives cars and is named Miles. Baby is literally named after him!
3. Experiences with car accidents
Miles was in another car crash in 2016. Maybe the trauma deterred him from taking the role as Baby (if he was even offered it). But Miles has persevered and stars in a biographical war film called Thank You For Your Service which will be released in October this year. Still though, his past experiences of car crashes would have brought more depth and emotion to Baby Driver.
4. Baby-faced but also mature
Ansel Elgort is seriously baby-faced. He looks crazy young in Baby Driver. But his luscious lips and squinty eyes make him look like a spitting image of Marlon Brando in the fifties-inspired sequences. Even so, I’d take Miles Teller’s face any day of the week. He’s got a baby-face too, but he can also look mature.
5. He can rush AND drag
As established in Whiplash, Miles can rush and drag. Both skills are essential as a getaway driver. Take that Tokyo Drift.
6. He’s musical
We all saw his drumming skills in Whiplash. And I would much rather watch Miles lip-syncing than Ansel. Wouldn’t you?
7. Killer dance moves
Don’t get me wrong, Ansel can dance too. But Miles is just cooler than Ansel. He has so much more swag.
8. More believable as an aggressive scumbag
There were moments where Baby was an aggressive, arrogant scumbag. And try as he might, Ansel Elgort just didn’t cut it.
He just isn’t scummy enough. Too baby-faced.
Bit Miles is an excellent scumbag. A great villain. A brilliant anti-hero. Observe.
Bottom line, Miles Teller should have played Baby in Baby Driver. And I think Edgar Wright did write the part with him in mind. Even if it was just subconsciously. So that’s another part that was meant for Miles Teller which went to someone else.
