Julia Roberts — Valentine’s Day instead of The Blind Side
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Julia Roberts is well-versed in biographical films. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of the title character in 2000’s Erin Brockovich. Roberts may have won a second Best Actress award if she joined the cast of The Blind Side. Roberts was originally offered the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy — an American businesswoman who is the adoptive mother of former NFL player Michael Oher.
She declined in favor of making the critically panned Valentine’s Day instead, which opened up the opportunity for Sandra Bullock. Reportedly, Bullock also declined the role three separate times before eventually accepting. It wasn’t until a conversation with the real Leigh Anne Tuohy took place that Bullock finally agreed to play the part. For her portrayal of Tuohy, Bullock would go on to take home the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2009.
Tom Hanks — That Thing You Do! instead of Jerry McGuire
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There isn’t enough time in the day for a star like Tom Hanks to finish every project that interests him. When he was approached to play the titular role in the film Jerry McGuire, Hanks was forced to decline due to scheduling conflicts. At the time, Hanks was working on making his directorial debut with the film That Thing You Do! With Hanks out of the picture, the role of Jerry was offered to Tom Cruise. Cruise — alongside Cuba Gooding Jr., Renee Zelwegger, and Regina King — helped turn Jerry Maguire into an instant classic that was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture. Being his usual humble self, Hanks has gone on to say that he would not have done as good of a job in the role as Cruise did.
Jennifer Connelly — Etoile instead of Heathers
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Winona Ryder was just 16 years old when she was offered the role of Veronica in the 1989 black comedy titled Heathers. It took some convincing on Ryder’s part to earn the spot, as screenwriter Daniel Waters had a few other names in mind when he created the characters. Among the nominees was Jennifer Connelly who was fresh off her big break in Labyrinth.
Taking the advice of her manager at the time, Connelly declined the role and opted to make the Italian film Etiole instead. The Ryder-Connelly situation isn’t the only interesting story that resulted from the Heathers casting search. Christian Slater reportedly threw a tantrum and tossed a copy of the script into a trash bin after assuming he had bombed his audition. He was offered the role of J.D. shortly after.
Ray Liotta — Muppets instead of The Sopranos
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Ray Liotta was almost Tony Soprano. It’s difficult to imagine anybody other than the great James Gandolfini in the role of Tony. Gandolfini played the popular New Jersey-Italian mobster for all six seasons of the show’s lifespan, a role that garnered him much praise and acclaim. While Gandolfini was perfect for the role, he wasn’t the only person it was offered to.
Liotta had established himself as a legend in mobster films thanks to an unforgettable performance in Goodfellas. Naturally, HBO felt that Liotta would do a stellar job in a similar type of role in The Sopranos. Liotta has said that he wanted to stray away from the genre at the time and branch out. Instead of starring in one of the most popular television series of all-time, Liotta appeared in films like Muppets from Space.
Marilyn Monroe — The Misfits instead of Breakfast at Tiffany’s
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Audrey Hepburn wasn’t the only starlet in contention for the starring role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. When Truman Capote wrote the original book, he had Marilyn Monroe in mind as he described the character. Monroe considered taking the offer but was talked out of it by her agency. Seeking an alternative, the studio settled on Hepburn — safe to say that turned out to be a wise decision.
Turning down the role proved to be disastrous for Monroe. She instead starred in The Misfits, a 1961 drama directed by Monroe’s husband Arthur Miller. Filming for the movie is said to have become so arduous that it led to the couple’s eventual divorce.
Matthew Broderick — Tale of Despereaux instead of Breaking Bad
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Just take a look at this picture. Instead of playing the iconic role of Walter White on the acclaimed show Breaking Bad, actor Matthew Broderick chose to do…whatever it is he’s doing here. Broderick was approached by AMC to play the role of the chemist-turned-kingpin. It’s unclear how differently the show would have turned out, but Broderick had the opportunity to play one of the most well-known characters in television history.
The Ferris Bueller star opted to stroll the red carpet alongside giant rats. Additionally, John Cusack reportedly also turned down the role of Walter White. Bryan Cranston could have afforded to thank both of his fellow actors during his numerous award speeches for his portrayal of the character.
Will Smith — Wild, Wild West instead of The Matrix
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Late 2021 saw the release of The Matrix Resurrections, picking up where the series left off nearly two decades ago. Set 60 years after the events of the previous film, Resurrections takes us back inside the Matrix with the main character Neo (played by Keanu Reeves). Reeves first played Neo in The Matrix back in 1999, but he wasn’t the first choice for the role back then.
Fresh off of Men in Black and Independence Day, Will Smith was beginning to establish himself as one of Hollywood’s top action stars. Smith was offered the role, but turned it down because he felt the film would be too “unrealistic.” Instead, Smith starred in Wild, Wild West which absolutely tanked in the box office. This is one decision Smith would like to have back.
Christina Applegate — Just Visiting instead of Legally Blonde
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Is it possible to envision anybody playing the iconic role of Elle Woods other than the great Reese Witherspoon? Well, the studio had somebody completely different in mind when first casting the role. Christina Applegate gained notoriety playing the airheaded sister Kelly for 259 episodes of Married…with Children. Instead of joining the Blonde universe — which spawned three movies and a Broadway musical — Applegate turned her attention elsewhere.
In 2001, Applegate starred in Just Visiting, an American remake of a French film called Les Visiteurs. Just Visiting had double the budget of Legally Blonde, yet the latter made over ten times as much at the box office. You win some, you lose some. Applegate lost big time in this scenario.
Matt Damon — Downsizing instead of Manchester by the Sea
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Most know by now that Matt Damon played a major part in the award-winning film Manchester By the Sea. Damon cultivated the original idea for the 2017 drama alongside fellow Massachusetts native John Krasinski. However, most aren’t aware that Damon was originally intended to star in the film as well. Scheduling issues forced him to back out and the role was handed to Casey Affleck.
The film went on to be well-received, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and landing Affleck the Oscar for Best Actor. Damon, on the other hand, utilized his newly found free time to star in Downsizing, a science-fiction film about people who undergo a shrinking procedure to save money. Despite the star-studded ensemble cast (Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Christoph Waltz), Downsizing would go on to lose money at the box office.
Michelle Pfeiffer — Coolio Music Video instead of Silence of the Lambs
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Silence of the Lambs is an all-time classic. The 1991 psychological horror is one of the most influential films in the genre and spawned a series of sequels. It’s the only film considered to be in the horror genre to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. What sets the film apart are the legendary performances of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Foster plays Clarice Sterling, an FBI rookie who is chasing down a serial killer. She enlists the help of Hopkins’ character Hannibal Lector, an incarcerated serial murderer who is also a cannibal.
The uneasy interrogation scenes set the mood for this tense film. The movie’s dynamic duo nearly never got a chance to star alongside each other. The role of Clarice was originally offered to Michelle Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer claimed the film was too dark in tone, but says she regrets her decision. In 1995, Pfeiffer starred in Coolio’s music video for Gangsta’s Paradise — bearing a striking resemblance to Foster’s Clarice.
Leonardo DiCaprio — The Beach instead of American Psycho
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It’s difficult to imagine any actor doing a better job than Christian Bale as the deranged banker Patrick Bateman in the 2000 cult-classic American Psycho. Although, Bale wasn’t the first option for director Mary Harron. Harron originally intended the role to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio — fresh off the release of Titanic. DiCaprio even agreed to the role. However, he eventually dropped out which led to Bale’s emergence.
Details about why DiCaprio decided to drop the project are murky. “Creative differences” have been cited, but there are rumors that a conversation with feminist Gloria Steinem led to DiCaprio opting out. Interestingly enough, Steinem went on to become Bale’s stepmother a few years later.
Brooke Shields — Sahara instead of Scarface
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In Hollywood, one misstep could end up being the defining moment of a career. Deciding to take on the wrong role could set a talented performer back several years. For Brooke Shields, her most severe miscue was spurning a film called Scarface. A budding star at the time, Shields was offered the role of Elvira in the 1983 crime drama, but decided against taking the job per her mother’s request.
Instead, Shields starred in the adventure film Sahara — which came out the same year as Scarface. Sahara was an unbridled disaster which saw a delayed release reportedly due to poor reviews at initial screenings. Michelle Pfeiffer went on to play Elvira and launched her career into superstardom. Shields took a break from acting shortly after and never seemed to live up to her potential.
Katie Holmes — Mad Money instead of The Dark Knight
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Katie Holmes had a good thing going. Holmes starred in Christopher Nolan’s 2005 film Batman Begins. She played the role of Rachel Dawes, Gotham’s Assistant District Attorney and childhood friend of billionaire industrialist Bruce Wayne. The movie was a massive success and there were immediate plans for two more films in the series. However, when The Dark Knight was released three years later we were introduced to a new Rachel…Maggie Gyllenhaal. Yes, Holmes decided to pursue other opportunities rather than reprise her role in the sequel.
The Dark Knight went on to become one of the most successful films of all-time while breaking countless records. The Dark Knight made more in its first five days after release than Batman Begins did during its entire run in theaters. In total, The Dark Knight generated over $1 billion at the box office. Mad Money, the film Holmes chose to do instead, made $26 million.
Tim Roth — Planet of the Apes instead of Harry Potter
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While hindsight is considered to be 20/20, we must acknowledge that decision-making in Hollywood isn’t easy. There’s no real way of knowing how a film will turn out. The more experienced talents certainly have a more informed idea of which path to take, but mistakes happen. Take for instance Tim Roth’s decision to star in Tim Burton’s 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes over the first film in the Harry Potter series.
At the time, Roth’s line of thinking made sense. Planet of the Apes was an established IP with a dedicated fan base who adored the original films. Harry Potter, while wildly popular, was a children’s book that could have flopped like so many other movie adaptations. Well, it didn’t flop. Roth made plenty of money as the antagonist General Thade in Planet of the Apes, but he would have made a whole lot more if he had taken the role of Severus Snape for all eight Harry Potter films.
Molly Ringwald — Betsy’s Wedding instead of Pretty Women
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Capitalizing on a role opening up isn’t an unfamiliar happening in Julia Roberts’ career. Just like Sandra Bullock stepped in to do The Blind Side after Roberts turned it down, Roberts took the starring role in Pretty Woman after the studio’s first choice, Molly Ringwald, declined. Ringwald had gained massive popularity after starring in several classic 80s films (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink).
After reading the script, Ringwald had concerns over Vivian Ward’s character in the film. Namely, she felt uncomfortable portraying a prostitute. Other stars including Winona Ryder and Jennifer Connelly read for the role before the studio eventually decided on Roberts. The performance immediately catapulted Roberts into A-list stardom.
Emily Browning — The Uninvited instead of Twilight
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If Twilight Saga author Stephanie Meyer had it her way, Kristen Stewart would have never played the role of Bella Swan in the films. Back before the first film debuted in 2008, Meyer took to her website to describe a potential cast for the film. This includes a recasting of Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattison in the films) to Henry Cavill. Meyer saw Danielle Panabaker and Elliott Page as decent options to play Bella, but it was A Series of Unfortunate Events star Emily Browning who she deemed as the “ideal” Bella. Even with Meyer’s stamp of approval, Browning decided not to audition for the role.
Burt Reynolds — 100 Rifles instead of On Her Majesty’s Service
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We were dangerously close to seeing Burt Reynolds play James Bond. Reynolds running and gunning as the womanizing secret agent would have been a sight to behold. The Michigan native declined the role citing his belief that an American-born actor was unfit for the role of Bond. At the time, there were only two actors who had portrayed Bond on film — the Scottish Sean Connery (in all of the films made by Eon Productions) and the British David Niven (in 1967’s Casino Royale which was not produced by Eon).
Reynolds’ original sentiment has been shared by Bond filmmakers over the years. None of the seven actors who have played the role of James Bond in major motion pictures were American. Reynolds, who claims to have Cherokee roots, opted to play a half-white, half-Yaqui bank robber in the Western film 100 Rifles, while Australian actor George Lazenby made his debut as 007 in On Her Majesty’s Service.
Brad Pitt — Spy Game instead of The Bourne Series
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No actor is impervious to mistakes, even ones as successful as Brad Pitt. While he has more than his fair share of success stories, Pitt has endured a handful of misfires over his career. None more glaring than giving up the opportunity to play Jason Bourne. The Bourne series is one of the most successful action series of all-time, having spawned five films and a television series. Pitt blamed a jam-packed schedule for his inability to take the role. In turn, Matt Damon was tabbed to play the titular role. While Pitt’s Spy Game is held in decent regard, it pales in comparison to the Bourne series which has grossed over $1.6 billion at the box office.
Tom Selleck — Magnum PI instead of Indiana Jones
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When casting for Raiders of the Lost Ark began, Harrison Ford auditioned for the role of Indiana Jones. However, director George Lucas was wary of offering Ford the role. Lucas had just finished working with Ford on Star Wars and preferred the idea of bringing in a new, fresh face. Thus, Tom Selleck nearly became Indiana Jones. Selleck was offered and accepted the role. While both sides had seemingly agreed there was one major hitch in their plans — CBS.
The major television network had just finished shooting a pilot for Magnum P.I. which featured Selleck as the main character. CBS would not agree to allow Selleck to film Raiders until he had fulfilled his contract on Magnum P.I. Despite several pleas, the network never budged. This left Lucas and director Steven Spielberg no choice but to shift gears — which led to them offering the part to Ford.
David Schwimmer — Since You’ve Been Gone instead of Men in Black
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Sometimes actors seemed destined for certain roles. This was the case for Will Smith and his portrayal of Agent J in the Men In Black series. Smith’s blend of charisma and humor is a perfect match for the street-wise secret agent. It almost seems like the role was written with Smith in mind. On the contrary, Smith was not the first choice when casting began.
The studio reached out to David Schwimmer — who was free in between shooting seasons of the hit show Friends. However, Schwimmer had already made obligations to direct a film (Since You’ve Been Gone) and had to turn down the offer. The studio immediately shifted by pairing Smith alongside Tommy Lee Jones. The rest, as they say, is history.
Emily Blunt — Gulliver’s Travels instead of Black Widow
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A general rule of thumb is that it’s always smart to do the superhero movie. Perhaps that wasn’t quite as obvious around 2010 when Emily Blunt was offered the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2. The Russian superspy was set to make her theatrical debut in the film. With another project already on her plate (Jack Black’s Gulliver’s Travels), Blunt was forced to decline the role.
Scarlett Johannson ended up winning the role and has reprised the character in a dozen Marvel films. While Iron Man 2 was a fairly forgettable sequel, it set up a decade-long run for the beloved Avenger — culminating in a standalone film titled Black Widow which was released in 2021.
Kevin Costner — Waterworld instead of The Shawshank Redemption
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The Shawshank Redemption is considered one of the greatest films of all-time. The movie’s main character, Andy Dufresne, was played by Tim Robbins (Dead Man Walking, Mystic River) though several Hollywood A-listers were among the candidates. This list includes Kevin Costner, who was just a few years removed from his award-winning performance in Dances With Wolves. Costner reportedly passed on the role — a decision he would soon regret. Instead of breaking out of prison as Andy, Costner helped produce and starred in the box office bomb known as Waterworld.
Michael Madsen — Wyatt Earp over Pulp Fiction
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A staple of Quentin Tarantino’s films is his reuse of the same actors over several different titles. Tarantino has a group of talents he enjoys working with and often brings them back to star in his future films. When he was casting for his upcoming flick Pulp Fiction, the first name that came to mind was Michael Madsen. Tarantino and Madsen had worked together on Reservoir Dogs where Madsen played Vic Vega — aka Mr. Blonde.
The main character in Pulp Fiction is Vincent Vega, the brother of Madsen’s Reservoir Dogs character. It seemed like an ideal match for Madsen to play the role. Unfortunately, Madsen was busy with Wyatt Earp and couldn’t break his obligation. Tarantino then turned to John Travolta (whose career was on a bit of a downturn). Travolta’s electric portrayal of Vega led to his return as one of Hollywood’s top stars.
Henry Winkler — The One and Only instead of Grease
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Long before he enjoyed a Royale with Cheese next to Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta became a star for playing Danny Zuko in Grease. The musical comedy was a major hit when it was released in 1978 and has been cherished ever since. While Travolta has been synonymous with Zuko for over 40 years, he wasn’t the studio’s first choice. Originally, Zuko was supposed to be played by Henry Winkler.
However, Winkler was afraid of being typecast due to his role as The Fonz on the show Happy Days. Winkler ended up declining the role for a more serious film in The One and Only. Based on the above photo, Winkler certainly would have met the hair requirement for a Grease character. To nobody’s surprise, Winkler has said that he regrets his decision.
Benicio Del Toro — Thor: The Dark World instead of Star Trek: Into Darkness
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There’s a lot that goes behind the scenes in securing a role. Even when a studio and a particular actor have mutual interest, several other factors could lead to a potential breakup. Such was the case with Benicio del Toro and a missed opportunity to play the role of Khan in Star Trek: Into Darkness. Both sides could not come to an agreement on dollar figures, which led to a mutual parting of ways.
The role was given to Benedict Cumberbatch who did a fine job as the film’s main antagonist. del Toro took the time to play a role in the post-credits scene of the much-maligned sequel Thor: The Dark World. del Toro has appeared as Collector in three films residing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All three of those cameos don’t stack up to playing the villainous Khan in a critically-acclaimed film like Into Darkness.
