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Hollywood is a sea full of talented actors, so it is not shocking when one role is offered to another. In fact, many a time such an incident occurs when the filmmakers’ original choice declines to play a character. But did you know, there are quite a few Hollywood stars who regret saying no?
Well, many actors have expressed their sadness when a role they were initially offered – and they said no to – went on to becomes a box-office hit or classic.
From actors like Eddie Murphy to Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow, check out these Hollywood stars who have gone on record admitting their mistake.
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Eddie Murphy – Who framed Roger Rabbit
Released in 1988, the lead role in this Hollywood live-action, animated film was offered to several different actors including Eddie Murphy. Before being played by Bob Hoskins, Eddie had reportedly turned down the role because he misunderstood the concept of cartoon characters and human beings co-existing.
The actor later regretted saying no to this blockbuster hit. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Murphy went on record saying, “I was like, ‘What? Animation and people sound like bullsh*t to me.’ Now every time I see it, I feel like an idiot.” We wonder how the film would have panned with Murphy playing Roger Rabbit’s sidekick…
Christina Applegate – Legally Blond
Hollywood actress Christina Applegate is well known for her roles in movies and TV shows like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Hall Pass, Vacation, Bad Moms, Crash Pad, Jesse, Friends and more. But did you know she was initially offered the lead role in Legally Blonde?
Well, Christina’s loss was Reese Witherspoon’s gain as she became a household name thanks to it. Applegate aid the reason behind her saying no was as she didn’t want to play another ‘ditzy dumb blonde.’ But she even went on record to say, “What a stupid move that was.”
Will Smith – The Matrix
When you face two choices, it isn’t easy to decide what to do and be happy. Well, Will Smith was faced with a similar dilemma in 1999 when he was offered the role of Neo in The Matrix and US Army Captain Jim T. West in Wild Wild West. Smith claims the movie pitch he received was confusing, leading to Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves stepping in his shoes.
In an interview with Stephen Colbert, Will said that he would tell his younger self to choose differently if given a chance. We would be interested to see how people receive it, cause let’s be honest if difficult for us to imagine anyone other than Reeves in the role.
Gwyneth Paltrow – Titanic
We all know Gwyneth Paltrow because of several roles including Pepper Potts in the Avenger movies, Seven, Emma, Sliding Doors, and A Perfect Murder and more. But did you know another Hollywood film that could have made it to this list was James Cameron’s Titanic? Kate Winslet gained immense worldwide fame by playing Rose – a role that was initially to Paltrow. This tragic romance is still one of the highest-grossing films till date.
Speaking about the same in a Howard Stern interview, Gwyneth said even she doesn’t know why she turned it down. We are wondering the same thing ma’am!
Matt Damon – Avatar
Another James Cameron movie to make it to the list! James originally wanted this top Hollywood name to headline his project, but Matt Damon said no. We guess it was a significant pay loss for the actor, as Cameron offered Damon 10 per cent of the gross. Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time, which would mean Matt could have easily pocket anywhere near a quarter-million dollars.
It is said that Cameron told Damon that the movie was “bigger than any actor”, and he would cast an unknown face if he turned it down. With Matt saying no a then-unknown Sam Worthington became Jake Sully. For those who do not know, Damon turned down the role to avoid scheduling conflicts with The Bourne Ultimatum. Well, we don’t know what to say.
Would you have loved to see these hit Hollywood films with the actors who rejected them? Or are you happy with those who finally stepped in the shoes?
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