Editing Arrested Development (section)

=== Casting ===
{{Main|List of Arrested Development cast members}}

[[Alia Shawkat]] was the first cast in the series.<ref name="O'Connell" /> [[Michael Cera]], [[Tony Hale]], and [[Jessica Walter]] were cast from video tapes and flown in to audition for Fox.<ref name="O'Connell" /> [[Jason Bateman]] and [[Portia de Rossi]] both read and auditioned for the network and were immediately chosen.<ref name="O'Connell" /> The character of Gob was the most challenging to cast.<ref name="nytimes"/> When [[Will Arnett]] auditioned, he played the character "like a guy who thought of himself as the chosen son, even though it was obvious to everyone else that he was the least favorite"; he was chosen immediately for his portrayal.<ref name=nytimes/> The characters of Tobias and George Sr. were originally going to have minor roles, but [[David Cross]] and [[Jeffrey Tambor]]'s portrayals mixed well with the rest of the characters, and they were given more significant parts.<ref name="O'Connell" /> Howard provided the narration for the initial pilot, and his narrating meshed so well with the tone of the program that the decision was made to keep his voice.<ref>{{cite video |url=http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/ron-howard |title=Ron Howard Interview |publisher=Archive of American Television |time=12:56 |access-date=June 15, 2012 |archive-date=May 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512165550/http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/ron-howard |url-status=live }}</ref> Howard aided in the casting of "Lucille 2"; the producers told him that their dream actress for the role was [[Liza Minnelli]] but that they assumed no one of her stature would take the part.<ref>{{cite video |url=http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/ron-howard |title=Ron Howard Interview |publisher=Archive of American Television |time=14:31 |access-date=June 15, 2012 |archive-date=May 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512165550/http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/ron-howard |url-status=live }}</ref> She agreed when Ron Howard asked her himself, because they were old friends; she had been his babysitter when she was a teenager.<ref>(2004-08-20). "Friends in high places", ''[[London Evening Standard]]'', p. 13.</ref>