These Actors Passed On Iconic Roles And Regret It
Actors turn down roles in movies and television series all the time. Sometimes scheduling issues are to blame while sometimes an actor just doesn't want to commit to a project. When an actor declines a role, they don't always anticipate it will be a huge hit. So when a production turns into a monumental success or propels an actor's career, those who declined are left regretting it big time. It happens more than you might think too! Here's a list of actors that turned down iconic roles and regret it to this day.
Seven Was Too Intense For Denzel Washington
Although we can't imagine Seven without Brad Pitt screaming "What's in the box?!" the role of Detective Mills was initially offered to Denzel Washington. The Malcolm X star passed it up, claiming that the film was too dark for his liking. Then, after Washington saw the movie in theatres, he regretted his decision and called it one of the biggest mistakes of his career.
The neo-noir crime thriller was released in 1995 and was the seventh-highest grossing film of the year, raking in $327 million worldwide. The well-received flick is regarded as one of the scariest and uneasiest movies in the genre of all time.
Forrest Gump Was Written For John Travolta
Can you imagine anyone but Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump? Believe it or not, the role of Forrest Gump was written with John Travolta in mind! He turned it down and later admitted he regretted it. Considering Forrest Gump became the highest-grossing film in North America in 1994, it's easy to understand why.
The romantic drama made over $677 million while playing in theaters and today is considered a significant part of American history. The film won seven Academy Awards including Best Film and Tom Hanks took home the Oscar for Best Actor. Luckily for Travolta, he starred in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction that year, which helped revive his otherwise struggling career.
Harrison Ford Declined the Chance to Walk With Dinosaurs
Since Harrison Ford did a fantastic job acting in Indiana Jones, Steven Spielberg offered him the role of Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park. In interviews, Ford seemed to shy away from the conversation about declining to play Dr. Grant, which he regretted.
Sam Neill then took over the part, and in 1993, the film grossed $194 million making it the highest-grossing movie ever at the time. In total, the film won over 20 awards, including three Oscars for technical achievements in visual effects and design. It's considered a groundbreaking film in animation technology and has now developed into a franchise.
Nicholas Cage Was Going To Weild A Sword In Lord of the Rings
Initially, Nicholas Cage was offered the part of the hero Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, he had to turn it down because of the time commitment. In an interview with Newsweek, Cage commented that "There were different things going on in my life at the time that precluded me from being able to travel and be away from home for three years."
This might have hurt Cage's career since Lord of the Rings is now considered to be one of the most epic fantasy series of all time. LOTR won 17 out of 30 Academy Award nominations the year it was released and set the bar for high-fantasy filmmaking. After shuffling through a handful of actors, the role finally went to Viggo Mortenson who played the Aragorn that we all know and love.
Jack Nicholson Didn't Think He Could Pull Off The Godfather
Frank Coppola's The Godfather was released in 1972 and was initially supposed to have Jack Nicholson playing the role of mob boss Michael Corleone. Although the producers thought that Nicholson would be a good pick, he thought otherwise. In an interview with Movieline, he stated, "At the time I believed that Indians should play Indians and Italians should play Italians."
To Nicholson's dismay, the film went on to be the highest-grossing film of 1972 and the highest-ever at the time. Today, The Godfather is considered one of the best works of cinema ever released and is ranked the greatest film of all time by IMDB.
Tom Selleck Missed Out On Being An Adventurer
Steven Spielberg was impressed with Harrison Ford's performance in Star Wars and wanted to cast him as Indiana Jones. However, George Lucas, who was an executive producer for Raiders of the Lost Ark refused to work with Ford again. As a result, Tom Selleck was chosen to play Jones.
Unfortunately, he had a contractual obligation to his film Magnum P.I. and had to drop the roll. Ford was begrudgingly selected for the role which turned out to be okay. Selleck, however, missed out on being the star of a timeless adventure series, and his own Disneyland ride, which we're sure he wasn't too happy about.
High Jackman Wants Another Shot At James Bond
Pierce Brosnan left the James Bond series after Die Another Day in 2002, so a position opened up for a new Bond. Jackman was asked if he wanted to play the part, but he declined because it interviewed with his filming for X-Men 2.
So, Daniel Craig took over which helped solidify him as a notable actor with an impressive amount of on-screen swagger and presence. His role also helped revitalize the Bond series, and the new and improved role was well accepted by critics and the audience. After Jackman saw the success of Craig's Bond films, he told The Hollywood Reporter that he would "seriously consider playing James Bond" if the opportunity presented itself.
Burt Reynolds Seriously Regrets Not Acting In Terms Of Endearment
The character Garrett Breedlove in Terms of Endearment was written for actor Burt Reynolds, but he ended up turning it down. The role then went to Jack Nicholson who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film was incredibly successful and received praise from critics and audiences alike.
Nicholson's and the film's success was painful for Reynolds who never won an Oscar. Reynolds told Business Insider that it was the acting decision that he regrets the most to this day. He regrets it so much because he called it "a real acting part" that would have been good for his professional acting career.
Leonardo DiCaprio Almost Got His Boogie On
As it turns out, it could have been Leonardo DiCaprio with the special gift in the 1997 film Boogie Nights. Director Paul Thomas Anderson saw DiCaprio in Basketball Diaries and offered him the role. He turned it down to do Titanic but recommended Wark Wahlberg for the part, which he did.
The film was well-received and was nominated for numerous Academy Awards. Looking back at the opportunity, DiCaprio said, "My biggest regret is Boogie Nights. I'm a huge fan of Paul Thomas Anderson, but the first time I met him for that role I hadn't seen much of his previous work. Now I love that movie." Although slightly disappointed, he's more than happy with the direction he took — he just wishes that he could have done both.
Paul Giamatti Was Going To Be The Regional Manager Of Dunder Mifflin
When it was decided that there was going to be a U.S. version of The Office, the president of NBC Kevin Reilly thought that Paul Giamatti would fit the role of the immature, cringe-worthy boss Michael Scott.
Giamatti ended up passing on the role which was a good thing for Steve Carell, whose career took off after the release of the show. Although the first season had mixed reviews, its later seasons were critically acclaimed, won numerous awards, and garnered a loyal fanbase. Besides Steve Carell, The Office was extremely beneficial to the careers of most of the actors and writers on the show.
Marilyn Monroe Didn't Want To Hurt Her Image
When Truman Capote's novel Breakfast at Tiffany's was being made into a movie, he suggested that Marilyn Monroe play the lead character, Holly. But Marilyn turned down the offer because she feared that acting like Holly might end up tainting her image.
She regretted this decision because the role went to Audrey Hepburn who became a superstar in what is described as her most iconic and memorable role. The movie has also been deemed culturally significant and was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress.
Julia Roberts Was Almost Mrs. Tuohy
Julia Roberts was offered the role of Leigh Anne Tuohey, the outspoken and steadfast mother from the 2009 sports flick The Blind Side. She ended up turning down the offer because she was involved with the movie Valentine's Day, directed by Gary Marshall, who made her career with Pretty Women.
Sandra Bullock stepped in to fill the role with a stunning performance. Unfortunately, Valentines Day was a flop while The Blind Side went on to gross $300 million. The film was also nominated for numerous Academy Awards, with Sandra Bullock taking home Best Actress Oscar.
"You Talking To Me?" - Dustin Hoffman
Although Robert De Niro was the only real actor suitable for the role of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, Dustin Hoffman was an option too. He didn't end up starring in the film, and Rober De Niro filled in, but Dustin Hoffman wishes he had.
According to WhatCulture, Hoffman said, "I remember meeting Martin Scorsese. He had no script, and I didn't even know who he was. I hadn't seen any of his films, and he talked a mile a minute telling me what the movie would be about. I was thinking, 'What is he talking about?' I thought the guy was crazy! The film was Taxi Driver. I made so many dumb mistakes; the list is endless." The film is ranked one of the greatest films of all time by numerous outlets and proved De Niro's acting abilities.
Dana Delany Almost Narrated Sex and the City
Actress Dana Delany had the opportunity to play Carrie Bradshaw, a leading character, and narrator of Sex and the City. She was friends with producer Darren Star who said he was working on something new and asked if she wanted the part.
Delany said that at the time she had been working on so many projects that were sex-driven that she had to decline. However, the show took off with Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw and Delany commented that if she had been asked again she would have said yes. Currently, the show is on various lists as one of the best television shows of all time and went on to have two feature films.
Christina Applegate Messed Up With Legally Blonde
Years ago, Christina Applegate was offered the position to play Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. She turned it down because she had played the ditsy blonde before with her work on Married...With Children. Applegate has gone on record saying that she deeply regrets her decision, especially after seeing the success that Reese Witherspoon achieved after the movie was released.
Witherspoon became one of the highest-demanded actresses in Hollywood following the release of Legally Blonde. Applegate isn't bitter and even acknowledges that Witherspoon did a better job than she probably could have herself.
It Hurts Josh Harnett To Think About Batman
Before Christian Bale was cast to be Batman in Christopher Nolan's revolutionary series, Nolan approached Josh Harnett about the role. At the time, Harnett was still new to Hollywood and declined the role without knowing what he was giving up. His career then faltered after some less-than-notable roles. Now, he sincerely wishes that he had accepted the part.
To have been the Batman of Christopher Nolan's movies would have turned him into a superstar and opened the doors for endless more acting opportunities. Now he has to sit back and watch as the Batman series excels at the box office and Christian Bale is immortalized as the star.
Ellen Burstyn Was Almost Nurse Ratched
Although Louis Fletcher was a perfect fit for the terrible Nurse Ratched in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Fletcher wasn't the first option for the character. Actress Ellen Burstyn turned down the part first and considered it to be the biggest mistake of her career.
The movie is considered to be one of the best films ever made and was the second film to ever win an Oscar for Best Picture, Actor in Lead Role, Actress in Lead Role, Director, and Screenplay. Evidently, Ellen Burstyn wanted to be a part of that.
Christopher Plummer Wasn't Ready To Be A Wizard
Although it may seem like Ian McKellen was destined to be Gandalf the Wizard in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he wasn't the first pick. In the beginning, actor Christopher Plummer was the number one choice for the role.
After being approached, he declined the role saying, "I don't know why I turned it down. I thought 3 or 4 years in New Zealand... I thought there were other countries I would like to visit before I croak." He has since regretted not acting in the films, mostly because he still doesn't fully know why he declined it in the first place.
Kevin Costner Wasted His Time On A Flop When He Could Have Played Andy Dufresne
In the 1990s, Kevin Costner was a major star, so a lot of directors and producers wanted him in their movies. This was the case for the people working on The Shawshank Redemption. They offered Costner the role of the protagonist Andy Dufresne which he turned down to act in the action movie Waterworld, which ended up being a massive flop.
The Shawshank Redemption went on to have a lasting impact. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress announced they were preserving the film in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Ray Liotta Had His Shot At Tony Soprano
After Ray Liotta's performance as Henry Hill in Goodfellas, he was a prime candidate for the role of Tony Soprano in the HBO series The Sopranos. However, he decided that he wanted to work on his film career and let James Gandolfini play the character.
After The Sopranos became wildly popular, Ray Liotta realized that the role of Tony Soprano would have been bigger than any other movie role he was taking at the time. The Sopranos is currently regarded as one of the best television shows ever and has helped launch the careers of many of the people involved.
