BLOGGING THE VIEW: 10 celebs who turned down blockbuster movie roles
While some of these actors genuinely regret the roles they turned down, some were for good reason, and the reality is these movies wouldn't have been what they were without the actors cast. It all works out in the end!
IN any career, there are paths that could’ve been taken and decisions made differently that would’ve impacted the trajectory of our lives. Somehow, in the case of movie stars, the decision to turn down a role in what would become a blockbuster seems that much more painful.
Here’s a look at 10 of the most memorable ones…
The iconic role, which propelled Kate Winslet and co-star Leonardo Di Caprio to stardom, was originally offered to Gwyneth Paltrow. Deeming the role too sentimental, and with many other projects ongoing, she turned down James Cameron’s offer.
3. Julia Roberts turned down Viola de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love
Gwyneth might’ve turned down Titanic, but it was Julia Roberts’ rejection of the role in Shakespeare in Love that saw Gwyneth get her big break. Roberts was signed on to the move until well known thespian, Daniel Day-Lewis, turned down the part of Will Shakespeare and she followed suit. The film went on to win seven Oscars, Best Picture among them.
4. Jack Nicholson said no to Michael Corleone in The Godfather
Eventually played by Al Pacino – one role he thankfully didn’t reject – the role of Michael Corleone was actually passed up by a number of other actors, including Robert de Niro, Warren Beatty, Robert Redford and Martin Sheen. According to three-time Oscar winner, Jack Nicholson, he felt the role deserved the authenticity of being played by an Italian actor.
5. Mel Gibson turned down Maximus in Gladiator
At 43 years old, Mel Gibson felt that he would be too old to play the lead role of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, which was scooped up by fellow Australian actor, Russell Crowe, then 36. Crowe went on to win the Best Actor award and became one of the globe’s biggest actors.
6. Hugh Jackman turned down James Bond in Casino Royale
‘Who’s going to play the next James Bond?’ is always a major talking point, but when it came to taking over the reigns from Pierce Brosnan, the Bond brand had taken somewhat of a nosedive. So, it’s no huge surprise that another Australian-born actor – Hugh Jackman – decided not to take on the role when it was offered to him, saying the franchise had headed in too much of an unrealistic direction. Plus, Wolverine had quite a bit on his hands with the X-Men franchise, so he was quite happy for Daniel Craig to don the tux.
7. Sean Connery turned down Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings
A man who, arguably, iconised the character of ‘Bond, James Bond’, Connery felt the grey-bearded wizard, Gandalf, just wasn’t him. Not a dedicated Tolkien fan, he didn’t understand the book, couldn’t fathom the script, and not even $10 million per film plus 15% of the box office for the trilogy could change his mind. Sir Ian McKellen was a great ‘second best’, earning an Oscar nomination for the role.
8. Will Smith said no to Neo in The Matrix
Having made waves with his ‘tough guy with a side of humour’ in action films, Men in Black and Independence Day actor Will Smith was first choice for Wachowski brothers (now sisters). However, he battled to understand the plot – like most viewers – and decided he couldn’t portray the character, which was eventually handed to Keanu Reeves. The Matrix trilogy stayed in the family though, with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith starring in the third and second installments.
9. Matt Damon turned down Jake Sully in Avatar
CARSometimes a scheduling conflict just gets in the way of a great option, and so it was for film star, Matt Damo
n, who was originally approached to play the lead in blockbuster, Avatar – one of the highest-grossing movies of all time – but couldn’t commit because he was working on The Bourne Ultimatum. The role went to Sam Worthington, with the much-anticipated sequel set for release this year.
When it comes to big-name actors, Tom Cruise is up there, so it’s not surprising that he’s turned down a few films in his life – Footloose, Ghost and Iron Man among them. And, despite appearing in more than 40 movies, he’s never won an Oscar, which is why turning down the role of John Nash in A Beautiful Mind still stings. The movie was nominated for eight Oscars, winning Best Picture, while Cruise’s film of choice – Vanilla Sky – only took Best Score.
While some of these actors genuinely regret the roles they turned down, some were for good reason, and the reality is these movies wouldn’t have been what they were without the actors cast. It all works out in the end!
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