Almost, But Not Quite
Casting rooms are strange places. Some actors seem like the perfect match, yet the final call drifts elsewhere. Those decisions can change entire stories. And they did.
Tom Selleck As Indiana Jones (Raiders Of The Lost Ark)
In one of Hollywood's great "what-if" moments, a 1980 writers's strike nearly changed movie history forever. When Steven Spielberg first offered the iconic role of Indiana Jones to Tom Selleck, scheduling conflicts with his role in Magnum P.I. forced him to decline.
Paramount Pictures, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
John Travolta As Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump)
Picture an alternate Hollywood timeline where John Travolta dons Forrest's running shoes and drawls, "Life is like a box of chocolates". That sliding doors moment vanished when Travolta declined the role he'd later regret passing up. Luckily, it cleared the path for Tom Hanks to create Oscar-winning magic.
lauraleedooley, Wikimedia Commons
Al Pacino As Han Solo (Star Wars)
The search for Star Wars's charismatic smuggler cast a wide net, with Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, and Burt Reynolds all in early discussions. Yet, as casting directors narrowed their choices, it was the relatively unknown Harrison Ford who ultimately claimed the coveted role of Han Solo.
20th Century Fox, Star Wars (1977)
Will Smith As Neo (The Matrix)
Talk about a career crossroads. While Will Smith waved goodbye to The Matrix (admitting the pitch flew right over his head) and moseyed on over to Wild Wild West, Keanu Reeves jumped at the chance to play Neo. This role would become practically inseparable from his identity and Hollywood legacy.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Wild Wild West (1999)
Sandra Bullock As Maggie (Million Dollar Baby)
Sometimes missing out leads exactly where you're meant to be. When Sandra Bullock's hopes of playing Maggie were dashed, Million Dollar Baby went on to become an Oscar-winning triumph with Hilary Swank's golden statue-earning performance. Fate had a consolation prize waiting for Bullock's own Academy Award for The Blind Side.
Warner Bros. Pictures, The Blind Side (2009)
Molly Ringwald As Vivian (Pretty Woman)
Much like the script itself, Pretty Woman wrestled with its identity before blossoming into a beloved romantic comedy. The casting journey reflected this transformation; while 80s teen queen Molly Ringwald, fresh from her John Hughes triumphs, was considered for Vivian, it was Julia Roberts who ultimately embodied the sunnier version.
Panio Gianopoulos, Wikimedia Commons
Eric Stoltz As Marty McFly (Back To The Future)
Recasting a lead actor mid-production is Hollywood's equivalent of performing heart surgery, but that's exactly what producers here dared to do. After Eric Stoltz spent five weeks filming as Marty McFly, his dramatic interpretation failed to capture the comedic notes. When Michael J Fox's TV schedule finally opened up, they made the nerve-wracking switch.
Universal Pictures, Back to the Future (1985)
Leonardo Dicaprio As Dirk Diggler (Boogie Nights)
Two legendary performances emerged from a single casting crossroads: Mark Wahlberg's acclaimed portrayal of Dirk Diggler and DiCaprio’s immortal Jack Dawson. The domino effect began when DiCaprio chose Titanic's doomed romance over Boogie Nights's disco-era drama, paving the way for Wahlberg's breakthrough.
Paramount Pictures, Titanic (1997)
Gwyneth Paltrow As Rose (Titanic)
When Gwyneth Paltrow lost the coveted role of Rose in Titanic to Kate Winslet, it might have seemed like watching a ship sail without her. Thankfully, while Winslet rode the eleven-Oscar juggernaut to stardom, Paltrow also found her own path to Academy Award glory through Shakespeare in Love.
Universal Pictures, Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Matthew McConaughey As Jack Dawson (Titanic)
Matthew McConaughey didn’t actually audition for Jack Dawson in Titanic. But he did meet with James Cameron for the role, which famously went to Leonardo DiCaprio, launching him to superstardom. But don't worry about McConaughey—he later snagged his own Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club.
Focus Features, Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Christina Applegate As Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)
After her lengthy stint on Married... with Children, Christina Applegate faced a career-defining crossroads when offered the part of Elle Woods. Wary of being typecast, she made the difficult decision to turn down the part. The role ultimately went to Reese Witherspoon, whose bubbly persona became iconic.
Fox, Married... with Children (1987–1997)
Charlize Theron As Roxie Hart (Chicago)
When Charlize Theron lost the coveted role of Roxie Hart to Renee Zellweger, it set off a remarkable chain of Oscar-worthy dominoes. Zellweger's electric performance earned her an Academy Award nomination, Chicago waltzed away with Best Picture, and Theron found her own golden destiny in Monster.
Newmarket Films, Monster (2003)
Denzel Washington As Detective Mills (Se7en)
Studio execs must have been on the edge of their seats when Denzel Washington auditioned for Detective Mills in Se7en. But when Washington ultimately turned down the gritty thriller, Brad Pitt stepped into those detective shoes instead. Washington went on to claim Oscar gold in Training Day.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Training Day (2001)
Michelle Pfeiffer As Clarice Starling (The Silence Of The Lambs)
As Jodie Foster brought Clarice Starling to life in The Silence of the Lambs, earning an Oscar in the film's historic sweep of all five major Academy Awards, Michelle Pfeiffer carved her own iconic path. As Foster hunted Buffalo Bill, Pfeiffer prowled Gotham's rooftops as Catwoman in Batman Returns.
Warner Bros., Batman Returns (1992)
Henry Cavill As James Bond (Casino Royale)
The casting of Casino Royale showcased how different roles require unique energies. Daniel Craig's tougher, more rugged persona aligned perfectly with the franchise's grittier reboot of 007. Meanwhile, Henry Cavill's rejected Bond audition turned out to be fortuitous—his classic heroic presence would eventually shine as Superman in the DC Universe.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Man of Steel (2013)
Emily Blunt As Black Widow (Marvel)
Black Widow's path to the screen took an unexpected turn during Iron Man 2's casting. Originally set to introduce Emily Blunt as the Russian super-spy, scheduling conflicts forced a pivot. Enter Scarlett Johansson, who transformed what could have been a one-film appearance into a defining Marvel role that anchored the franchise.
Peter Lefevre, Wikimedia Commons
Jake Gyllenhaal As Bruce Wayne (Batman Begins)
You know how one audition can change everything? When Jake Gyllenhaal tried out for Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, Christian Bale landed the role and launched Nolan's legendary trilogy to redefine Batman for a generation. Gyllenhaal's superhero journey took a different turn, leading him to become Spider-Man's cunning adversary, Mysterio.
Sony Pictures Releasing, Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
John Lithgow As Joker (Batman 1989)
Jack Nicholson's Joker stands as one of cinema's most iconic villains, but this legendary performance might never have materialized had casting swung toward John Lithgow during auditions. Nicholson earned universal acclaim for terrorizing Gotham, and Lithgow later found his own villainous spotlight to bring wicked charm to Lord Farquaad in Shrek.
DreamWorks Pictures, Shrek (2001)
Marlon Brando As T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence Of Arabia)
Now revered as one of cinema's greatest masterpieces, Lawrence of Arabia could have traveled a different path had two-time Oscar winner Marlon Brando been seriously considered for the lead. Instead, the legendary role of Lawrence found its perfect match in Peter O'Toole, whose Oscar-nominated performance proved the casting gods sometimes know best.
Jennifer Lawrence As Bella Swan (Twilight)
In Hollywood's grand lottery, a single casting call for Twilight spawned two winning tickets: Kristen Stewart clinched Bella Swan's role and rode the vampire phenomenon to superstardom. Jennifer Lawrence, who'd tried out for the role, found her own jackpot in an Academy Award for Silver Linings Playbook.
The Weinstein Company, Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Tom Hanks As Jerry Maguire (Jerry Maguire)
Before Jerry Maguire became Tom Cruise's Oscar-nominated triumph and birthed the iconic "Show me the money!" catchphrase, another Tom nearly took the reins. Fresh from his back-to-back Academy Award victories in the 1990s, Hanks was actually considered to both direct and star in the film before Cruise ultimately landed the role.
Angela George at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharongraphics/, Wikimedia Commons
Eddie Murphy As Eddie Valiant (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)
Isn't it wild how one "no" can change everything? When Eddie Murphy turned down the role of Eddie Valiant, it set off quite the chain reaction—Bob Hoskins stepped in to help create Who Framed Roger Rabbit's revolutionary animation hybrid. Murphy found himself free to make Coming to America.
Paramount Pictures, Coming to America (1988)
Winona Ryder As Mary Corleone (The Godfather Part III)
What seemed like a career hiccup—Winona Ryder's illness forcing her to drop the Mary Corleone role in The Godfather Part III—turned into a win-win for everyone involved. Ryder had previously dazzled audiences in Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Beetlejuice (1988)
Harrison Ford As Matt Hooper (Jaws)
Many fans believe Harrison Ford actually auditioned for Matt Hooper, but although he was indeed considered, there's no proof that he ever tried out. The role was cast to Richard Dreyfuss, who dazzled critics in what became Hollywood's first summer blockbuster. Ford rocketed to fame through Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
Lucasfilm Ltd., Star Wars (1977)
Robert De Niro As Josh (Big)
The decision to pass on Robert De Niro for Big led to Tom Hanks taking the role of Josh, turning the film into a classic. Hanks's performance earned an Oscar nomination, which defined family entertainment for generations and marked a pivotal moment in Hollywood history.
Gorup de Besanez, Wikimedia Commons
