Celebrities that turned down roles in films that went big (ie: Pretty Woman)

[JEDI]

http://www.celebritygossip.com/ten-worst-things-celebrities-did-in-their-careers/

- Tom Selleck Turned Down Indiana Jones.
Good for Harrison Ford.

- Chevy Chase and American Beauty.
Good for Kevin Spacey. somehow I cant see Chevy Chase as the main char in House of Cards.

- Lindsey Lohan turns down The Hangover.
Good for Heather Graham, altho her career already started to rise because of Boogie Nights.

- Molly Ringwald says “No” to Pretty Woman.
wow her career would have risen high instead of Julie Roberts

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Here's a trivia question for you:

Emilio Estevez, Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Patrick Swayze, Matthew Broderick, Sean Penn, Michael J. Fox, Scott Baio and Tom Hanks all were offered and turned down the same role in a smash hit movie.

What role and what movie?

And then think about Michael J Fox or Scott Baio in the role. <shudder>

 

[Joe1987]

Top Gun, Maverick

 

[mcveigh]

Top Gun, Maverick

really? someone thought Tom Hanks would be good as Maverick?? I see him more of a Goose.

 

[madoka]

Sean Connery turned down playing Gandalf and regretted it.

 

[Fern]

Sean Connery turned down playing Gandalf and regretted it.

I would've liked to see him in that role, not to take anything from Ian McKellen.

Fern

 

[futurefields]

Will Smith was going to be Neo in the Matrix.

 

[Pantoot]

Jonah hill turned down both the hangover and transformers to do Cyrus.

 

[Jimzz]

Tom Selleck did not turn down the Jones roll it was just CBS would not let him do it and Mag PI.

 

[DainBramaged]

Tom Selleck did not turn down the Jones roll it was just CBS would not let him do it and Mag PI.

Thank God he did Mag PI. That show was amazing.

 

[Genx87]

Eh I don't think Wahlberg was hurt by not doing broke back mountain. Jake Gyllenhaal hasn't exactly tore up roles since doing that movie.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Sean Connery turned down playing Gandalf and regretted it.

Connery also turned down playing Morpheus in The Matrix, as did Samuel L. Jackson and Russell Crowe.

Chevy Chase rejected playing Forrest Gump because of script issues.

 

[CA19100]

Thank God he did Mag PI. That show was amazing.

On a related note, somebody at work showed me this, and I about fell over laughing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEigvdbzia8

 

[JEDI]

Thank God he did Mag PI. That show was amazing.

yeah, great show.

wonder why Sellects career died?

 

[gorcorps]

I would've liked to see him in that role, not to take anything from Ian McKellen.

Fern

I like you

 

[shortylickens]

You know what? Tons of movies tanked that were supposed to be awesome, so maybe turning down the occasional role isnt a bad thing.

Imagine if Demi Moore had passed on Striptease.
She might not be a hobo today.

 

[Sluggo]

On the flip side. Possibly the project was only a raging success because the person who did star in it fit into the portrayed image so well in so many people's minds.

Just because the kid you grew up next door to turned out to be Apollo Ohno, doesn't mean you screwed up your life by ditching skating practice to go get high.

 

[crashtestdummy]

Ronald Reagan turned down the role of Rick in Casablanca. Yikes.



Edit: apparently not, according to Snopes.



http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/reagan.asp

 

[gorcorps]

On the flip side. Possibly the project was only a raging success because the person who did star in it fit into the portrayed image so well in so many people's minds.

Just because the kid you grew up next door to turned out to be Apollo Ohno, doesn't mean you screwed up your life by ditching skating practice to go get high.

That was something I was thinking about too. I don't see most of these movies being as successful with a different actor.

 

[uhohs]

Adam West

In 1970, West was offered the role of James Bond by Cubby Broccoli for the film Diamonds Are Forever. West did not accept, later stating in his autobiography that he believed the role should always be played by someone British.

lol

 

[mmntech]

Christopher Lee turned down the role of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars, suggesting Peter Cushing instead. Thus missing his opportunity to be in the good trilogy.

Apparently Orson Wells was once considered for the voice of Darth Vader, which would have been awesome.
http://www.notstarring.com/movies/star-wars

 

[JulesMaximus]

Eh I don't think Wahlberg was hurt by not doing broke back mountain. Jake Gyllenhaal hasn't exactly tore up roles since doing that movie.

What exactly does that have to do with 'Brokeback Mountain' (which is a great movie BTW)? You seem to imply that that movie had some sort of negative impact on Gyllenhaal's career. If anything it helped solidify him as a great actor, his performance was critically acclaimed for that role.

 

[Gibsons]

yeah, great show.

wonder why Sellects career died?

At least he's working. The Jesse Stone movies and Blue Bloods.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Melanie Griffith, Kim Basinger and Linda Blair were the top three choices to play the part of Iris that went to Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. After those three all passed Jodie Foster beat out Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kristy McNichol and Heather Locklear. Mariel Hemingway was in the running too and backed out at the end due to her family pressuring her.

Debra Winger, Kim Cattrall, Carrie Fisher, Bo Derek, Michelle Pfeiffer and Rosanna Arquette also auditioned for the part.

 

[JulesMaximus]

The role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the movie 'Silence of the Lambs' was originally to be played by Gene Hackman, who also wished to direct; but he later withdrew from the project owing to the evolving screenplay's graphic content. Michelle Pfeiffer was offered the role of Clarice Starling, but turned it down, later saying, "It was a difficult decision, but I got nervous about the subject matter".