Actors often get remembered for playing an iconic role that becomes synonymous with their names. However, sometimes these iconic characters before they became iconic were offered to some other actor which if accepted, would have reshaped the landscape of pop culture. Imagine if Tom Hanks had accepted the role of Jerry Maguire, or if Will Smith became Neo in The Matrix. These decisions open up a world of what-ifs that inspire both curiosity and appreciation for the actors who ultimately brought these now-iconic roles to life. Here's a list of 20 actors who passed on iconic roles that might have skyrocketed some other actor's career.
20) Claire Danes
Known for her roles in Romeo + Juliet and Homeland, Claire Danes has also passed on from playing iconic roles. One of them is the iconic character of Rose in James Cameron's all-time classic Titanic (1997). At the time, she felt she needed a break from the intense spotlight and wanted to opt for different projects. Her choice opened the door for Kate Winslet, who delivered an iconic performance and even got an Academy Award nomination.
19) Jennifer Hudson
This American actor and singer is the youngest woman to win all major Awards in the Hollywood industry: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). Jennifer Hudson has a successful career in the entertainment industry and has been in many popular movies and shows but has also turned down iconic roles. She was initially offered the titular role in Precious, a role that eventually went to Gabourey Sidibe. Hudson declined due to the character's weight gain requirement, as she didn't want to undergo physical changes for the role.
18) Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler turned down the role of Danny Zuko in Grease because he was worried about being stuck in similar roles. At the time, he was famous for playing Fonzie on Happy Days and didn’t want people to see him only as the cool, leather-jacket-wearing guy. This led him to pass on the iconic role, which was then given to John Travolta, who became a massive star due to this role and the movie.
17) Angela Basset
The Oscar-nominated actress has played many iconic characters, from Tina Turner in What's Love Got To Do With It to Queen Ramonda in Black Panther. However, she has also turned down many iconic roles, such as the lead role in the film Monster's Ball which earned Halle Barry an Oscar award. Basset decided to pass on the role because she felt the character was misrepresented and might reinforce harmful stereotypes. She believed some of the scenes were degrading and not respectful to Black women.
16) Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock is known for her roles in popular movies like The Proposal, The Blind Side, Gravity, and Birdbox. However, she has also turned down iconic roles in her long career. For instance, she passed on the role of playing a female version of Neo in The Matrix. She made the decision because she didn't resonate with the script at that time. Even when the creators considered changing the character’s gender to fit her, she still opted out. Eventually, Keanu Reeves landed the role of Neo, which became iconic.
15) Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is one of Hollywood's biggest stars and has played many iconic roles. From Achilles in Troy to a retired UN investigator fighting a zombie apocalypse in World War Z, his characters are unforgettable. However, he has also rejected many iconic characters such as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity because he was already committed to filming Spy Game. His schedule didn't allow time for both projects, so he had to decline the opportunity. The role then went to Matt Damon, who ended up becoming the face of the Bourne series.
14) Tom Cruise
Known for the Mission: Impossible movies, Tom Cruise missed out on many iconic roles due to his already packed schedule. One of those roles was Ren McCormack in Footloose. Cruise couldn't take the lead in Footloose because he was already busy shooting All The Right Moves. The schedules clashed, making it impossible to fit in both projects. So the role went to Kevin Bacon, who ended up delivering an iconic performance as Ren McCormack.
13) Jim Carrey
Known for playing iconic characters like The Mask, Grinch, and Truman Burbank, Jim Carrey has also turned down Iconic roles. For example, he was offered the role of Buddy Hobbs in Elf. He was initially interested in playing the character of Buddy, but the film's production took longer than anticipated. As time passed, Carrey had other commitments and projects he needed to focus on, leading him to step away from the film. The role eventually went to Will Ferrell, who brought the character of Buddy the Elf to life in an unforgettable way.
12) Tom Hanks
The Forrest Gump and Saving Private Ryan actor once turned down the iconic role of the titular character in the movie Jerry McGuire because he was already busy with his own project That Thing You Do. The role was initially envisioned with Hanks in mind, but his directing and acting duties on his own film meant he couldn't commit. He even recommended Tom Cruise for Jerry Maguire. In the end, Hanks acknowledged that Cruise was the perfect fit for the role and the film turned out brilliantly.
11) Bette Midler
Known for her roles in the Hocus Pocus movies, Better Midler once rejected the iconic role of Dolores Wilson-Van Cartier/ Sister Mary Clarence in the movie Sister Act. She decided to turn down the role due to the idea of wearing a nun's outfit, which she felt wouldn't sit well with her fans. Despite being pursued persistently for the role she stood by her decision. Eventually, the role went to Whoopi Goldberg who made the role iconic.
10) Ian McKellen
Known for playing the iconic roles of Magneto in the X-Men and Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings franchise, Ian McKellen famously turned down the role of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies, after Sir Richard Harris passed away. Harris had made some critical remarks about McKellen's acting. McKellen felt it wouldn't be right to take over a role from someone who didn't appreciate his work. The role of Albus Dumbledore was eventually played by Michael Gambon.
9) Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck, known for the show Magnum P. I. wanted to play the iconic role of Indiana Jones. However, he was under contract for the TV show Magnum, P.I., and the network wouldn't let him take on another project. So, even though he was very interested in playing Indiana Jones, he had to stick with his existing commitment. As a result, Harrison Ford got the role and became the famous archaeologist we all know.
8) Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is synonymous with his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow. However, there was another iconic role that he missed out on. Depp was considered for the role of Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller's Day Off but couldn't take it as he was already committed to other projects at the time. These scheduling conflicts made it impossible for him to play Ferris Bueller. As a result, Matthew Broderick got the role and made it iconic. Ferris Bueller's Day Off was released in 1986 and became a huge commercial success.
7) Emily Blunt
The Oscar-nominated actress, Emily Blunt had to pass on the iconic role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2 due to a contractual commitment with another project, Gulliver's Travels. Even though Blunt wasn't particularly excited about the role in Gulliver's Travels, she was contractually obligated to star in it, which meant she couldn't accept the offer to play Black Widow. Ultimately, Scarlett Johansson took on the role and made it her own.
6) Sean Connery
Sean Connery passed on playing the iconic role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings because he didn’t quite grasp the script or story, despite a massive offer of around $30 million plus a share of the profits. He felt it wasn’t the right fit for him since he couldn’t connect with the material. The role eventually went to Ian McKellen who added one more iconic role to his acting credits.
5) Al Pacino
The iconic actor known for his role in The Godfather once turned down the iconic role of Han Solo in the Star Wars franchise. Al Pacino didn't take the role of Han Solo because he found the script too confusing. Even though the financial offer was tempting, he couldn't really connect with the story. He decided to pass on the role, which then went to Harrison Ford, who made it iconic.
4) Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate turned down the iconic role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde because she was worried about being stuck in similar roles as her previous role as Kelly Bundy on Married... with Children was the same. She felt the character was too similar and didn't want to repeat herself. The role eventually went to Reese Witherspoon who shined with her performance in the movie.
3) Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio has played many iconic roles in popular movies but he passed on the iconic role of the lead character in the movie Brokeback Mountain. He wasn't the only one. Actors like Brad Pitt and Matt Damon also rejected the role in the movie. Director Gus Van Sant said they weren't really ready to take on the film's groundbreaking themes back then. Eventually, the roles went to Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, who gave unforgettable performances.
2) Jack Nicholson
The Shining fame Jack Nicholson was also offered another iconic role- the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. He passed on the role because he believed an Italian actor should portray the character to make it more authentic. Another reason was that at the time, the script he read didn't have any scenes with Marlon Brando, and Nicholson wanted to work with him. Eventually, Al Pacino stepped into the shoes of Michael Corleone and made the character iconic.
1) Will Smith
The Academy Award winner has been part of many classic movies. But he missed out on the iconic role which is the titular character of Neo in The Matrix movies. He didn't take the role of Neo because he found the way the Wachowskis explained the film quite confusing. They were not very well-known at that time, and the concept of bullet time left him unsure about the whole project. The role then went to Keanu Reeves, who left an indelible mark on the audience with his portrayal of the iconic character.
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