1. Adrien Brody in The Lord of the Rings movie
It’s been so many years that Adrien Brody himself doesn’t remember which part of the movie he was offered to play. The actor only knew it was “some Hobbit-like character”. And he didn’t take it because he was busy looking for something else at the time. Then Adrien Brody saw the movie with his girlfriend, and she was amazed how he could pass up a role in such an epic movie.
2. Glenn Howerton in Guardians of The Galaxy
Director James Gunn said that he had two options for the role, Chris Pratt and Glenn Howerton. He said that if Pratt doesn’t move on, it’s highly likely he’ll cast Howerton in the role. However, Howerton himself did not know how close his opportunity to portray Star-Lord in the movie was.
3. Kristin Davis in the movie Friends
Kristin Davis revealed that she auditioned for the role of Monica Geller before Courteney Cox accepted the role, despite about 8,000 young actresses joining the cast. So we may never know if Davis still has a chance to be one of the six friends who have stolen the hearts of many around the globe.
4. Yunjin Kim in Grey’s Anatomy
Yunjin Kim auditioned for Lost back in the day. She was originally cast for the role of Kate. But it finally came to her co-star, Evangeline Lilly. Anyway, showrunner JJ Abrams loved Kim so much that they decided to write a new role just for her.
However, Kim continued to want to play Izzie Stevens because she preferred Grey’s Anatomy. But in the end, for some reason, she didn’t film it and focused on the show she was on.
5. Madonna in Batman Returns
Madonna still regrets turning down the role in The Matrix, although she doesn’t regret doing the same for Showgirls. But in the end, there was another role that was supposed to belong to her but belonged to another actress. As it turns out, she could have been cast as Catwoman in Batman Returns, an iconic, unforgettable role brilliantly played by Michelle Pfeiffer.
6. Matt Damon in The Dark Knight
Matt Damon confirmed to have joined the role of Harvey Dent in Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece. But he said he never talked to the director. In addition, the actor was also unable to participate due to his strict schedule.
7. Jessica Simpson in A Walk to Remember
The role of Mandy Moore should have been given to Jessica Simpson. But Moore’s co-star Shane West said she wasn’t interested in the idea and was grateful it didn’t happen. Simpson just doesn’t seem right for her. But when she met Moore and they both auditioned in the same room, she said, “She’s perfect for the role.”
8. Javier Bardem in Minority Report
It sounds funny, but in the early 2000s, Javier Bardem didn’t feel confident enough to star in English-language films. So he turned down a role in Steven Spielberg’s film and it was handed over to Colin Farrell, who was delighted to have the opportunity to work with the director.
9. Matt Damon in Milk
Matt Damon has had a great career. But when it comes to Oscar-winning movies, he may have some major regrets in choosing certain roles. That’s exactly what happened to Milk. Director Steven Soderbergh liked Josh Brolin for the role of city supervisor, Dan White. But after seeing the final results, even Damon agreed this was the right choice.
10. Al Pacino in Die Hard
It turns out that Al Pacino was once offered the role of John McClane in the 1988 film Die Hard. Later, the role went to Bruce Willis. Pacino even joked about the success Willis had after filming the movie, saying, “I gave that boy a career”.
11. Matt Damon in Brokeback Mountain
Damon also turned down a lead role in Brokeback Mountain. He said, “I just did a gay movie and a cowboy movie. I can’t do a gay cowboy movie now.” Another actor took the role. And that is our beloved Heath Ledger.