Actors Who Would've Made A Better Colonel Sanders Than Mario Lopez

Lifetime has come to be known for its slew of original Christmas movies released each holiday season. This year alone, the television network has created 30 films, which began premiering as early as October (via Good Housekeeping). Though their plots are painfully formulaic, fans can't get enough of this yearly tradition. In each flick, there's sure to be a damsel in distress, a handsome stranger who swoops in to save the day, and of course, no shortage of Christmas magic (and cheesy one-liners). But this year, Lifetime is spicing things up a bit — no pun intended. 

Lifetime teamed up with KFC (yes, the fast food franchise) to release A Recipe for Seduction, a special mini-movie that follows a young heiress who must decide between a rich suitor selected by her mother or her personal chef, aka Harland Sanders. Yes, that's right: KFC's longtime mascot, Colonel Sanders. The fried food aficionado is played by '90s heartthrob and Saved by the Bell star Mario Lopez, who dons salt-and-pepper facial hair and Sanders-esque glasses for the role.

As if 2020 couldn't get any weirder. 

Though Lopez did just fine taking on this epic responsibility, fans can't help but theorize who would have made a better Sanders (especially given that he's previously been played by great impressionists like Darrell Hammond and Billy Zane). Our friends at Mashed had a few intriguing ideas that we think are worth exploring. 

Throughout his career, Ryan Reynolds has gone from small-screen comedy actor to mega-famous Marvel star — wouldn't the role of a fried food mascot have been a natural next step? We think so. Not only would he surely bring a great deal of charm and handsomeness to the role, but Reynolds, like Sanders, is already an entrepreneur in his own life. In 2018, the actor acquired a stake in liquor company Aviation American Gin, then in 2019, purchased an ownership stake in Mint Mobile. Most recently, he purchased a football club with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Rob McElhenney (via Indy100).

And, as one Twitter user points out, Reynolds "looks like a young Colonel Sanders." We see it.

When it comes to absurd movie concepts, Nicolas Cage comes to mind almost immediately. Remember when he played an unhinged, Elvis-obsessed maniac in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart? We understand if you've actively suppressed that memory. 

If nothing else, Cage would probably be the most likely to agree to the role, simply given his track record. The actor's IMDB page indicates that since 2015, he has appeared in no fewer than 27 films, which is truly just wild. He's also currently working on an eight-part mini series in which he plays "Tiger King" Joe Exotic. Clearly, he's willing to take on even the most outrageous of roles.

As a professional chef (who surely knows how to whip up a mean fried chicken thigh) Gordon Ramsay is a pretty logical choice for Colonel Sanders. Sure, he has zero acting experience and also has a British accent, but he does have years of experience in front of the camera on reality cooking shows such as Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef. Not to mention, he owns restaurants all over the globe, so he can surely related to the entrepreneurial spirit of Sanders. 

If nothing else, he would definitely have been entertaining in the role, so long as the producers gave him someone to scream at and/or insult.