Viewers mock casting of actor who looks nothing like Steve Waugh in Shane Warne miniseries

The Shane Warne biographical TV series, titled Warnie, debuted on Channel Nine on Sunday night. 

And many watching the program couldn’t help but point out that the actor playing cricketer Steve Waugh, a good friend of the late Warne, doesn’t look much like the real man. 

In the show, Waugh is portrayed by talented Melbourne-based actor Tom Stokes, best known for his role in British crime thriller series Trigger Point. 

Viewers tuning in were not impressed with what they saw, with many sharing their thoughts on Twitter. 

‘This is up there with one of the worst things I’ve ever watched. Is that meant to be Steve Waugh? Haha,’ wrote one. 

The Shane Warne biographical TV series, titled Warnie, debuted on Sunday night. And many watching the program couldn’t help but point out that the actor playing cricketer Steve Waugh (left), a good friend of the late Warne, doesn’t look much like the real man (right)

‘So guess who this is meant to be? Steve Waugh. No, really,’ joked another alongside a photo of Stokes as Waugh. 

‘There’s so much wrong with Warnie but the fact Steve Waugh looks nothing like Steve Waugh is pretty hard to look past,’ someone else said.

‘Steve Waugh looks more like Bill Lawry,’ one more tweeted, with another asking, ‘Is ‘That guy meant to be Steve Waugh?’

‘Don’t think I can stick with this. They don’t even look like who they should be playing. Is that meant to be Steve Waugh,’ one viewer said. 

‘If that’s how bad they’ve casted Steve Waugh with an actor who looks absolutely nothing like him, hate to imagine the rest,’ someone else wrote. 

In the show, Waugh is portrayed by talented Melbourne-based actor Tom Stokes (left). Shane Warne is pictured left with the real Steve Waugh

Viewers tuning in were not impressed with what they saw, with many sharing their thoughts on Twitter. ‘Is that meant to be Steve Waugh? Haha’ wrote one

‘Mark Waugh looks even less like Mark Waugh as opposed to the actor playing his twin brother,’ yet one more said. 

‘Dude sounds nothing like Shane Warne And the dude looks nothing like Steve Waugh… we’re barely 5 mins in,’ another tweeted.

Stokes said ahead of the show’s premiere that he was excited to depict Waugh, who is one of his heroes.   

‘Very excited to share this with you. Steve Waugh. A personal hero and a huge part of my teenage years. 

‘Was a thrill to deep dive into the man and his phenomenal achievements,’ he wrote on Instagram. 

Tom is best known for his role in British crime thriller series Trigger Point. Pictured with his wife Elizabeth Blackmore