 Nine members of the original Broadway cast (Marlon Brando, Kim  Hunter, Karl Malden, Rudy Bond, Nick Dennis, Peg Hillias, Richard  Garrick, Ann Dere y Edna Thomas) repeated their roles in the film, a  highly unusual decision at the time and even today, when original  casts of plays are often completely replaced for the film versions.  However, Vivien Leigh (qv), who had played Scarlett OHara in  _Gone with the Wind (1939)_ (qv), was selected to play Blanche du  Bois over Jessica Tandy (qv) to add "star power" to the picture  (Marlon Brando (qv) had not yet achieved full stardom in films; he  would be billed under Leigh in the films credits).