Reilly says his concerns were about legacy-ruining. “Steve is a very natural mimic, but that’s not what I do as an actor,” says Reilly. “I wanted to honor [Laurel & Hardy], not be a liability for them.” “They were so well known that potentially it was a poisoned chalice,” Coogan adds. “But at the end of the day you think, ‘If he [points to Reilly] is onboard, I’ll do it.’ I knew I’d have a good, talented, reliable partner in crime.’ ”
Source: latimes.com – Los Angeles Times