Hollywood loves a good story. But behind every iconic role is a casting tale that is even better. Stars we consider perfect were often not the first pick. Someone else almost made all this history.
These are the casting decisions that almost rewrote all film history. Scheduling conflicts, bad deals, and gut feelings changed everything. The roles we love came to life through some very fortunate and lucky Hollywood accidents.
Tom Selleck was Spielberg’s Indiana Jones
Steven Spielberg wanted Tom Selleck to play Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Selleck was offered the role and loved the script. His Magnum P.I. contract with CBS forced him to walk away.
CBS refused to delay Magnum P.I., so Selleck could take the Raiders role. Harrison Ford stepped in and became a legend. Ford has since publicly thanked Selleck for the missed opportunity that changed his life.
Eric Stoltz was fired as Marty McFly
Eric Stoltz was cast as Marty McFly and filmed for six weeks in Back to the Future. Zemeckis felt Stoltz was too serious for the role. The comedy the film needed was simply not landing.
Michael J. Fox was always Zemeckis’s first choice but his sitcom Family Ties kept him busy. Once Fox became available, the studio recast quickly. Back to the Future became the highest-grossing American film of 1985.
Emily Blunt lost Black Widow to a contract
Emily Blunt was Marvel’s first choice to play Black Widow in Iron Man 2. She wanted the role and was excited to work with Robert Downey Jr. A Fox contract made the decision for her.
Fox required Blunt to star in Gulliver’s Travels as part of a deal. She called it a heartbreaker on The Howard Stern Show. Johansson stepped in and made the Black Widow role her own entirely.
Gwyneth Paltrow said no to Titanic
Gwyneth Paltrow was one of the final two contenders for Rose in James Cameron’s Titanic. She later admitted she was deeply in contention and had real regret. Kate Winslet fought hard and won the part.
Paltrow reflected on her decision during a 2015 Howard Stern interview with visible surprise. She questioned why she said no to such an enormous opportunity. Winslet’s Rose became one of cinema’s most celebrated performances ever.
Will Smith passed on being Neo
Will Smith was offered the role of Neo in The Matrix before Keanu Reeves was considered. He did not connect with the pitch and walked away. He chose to star in Wild Wild West instead.
Smith later admitted on YouTube that Keanu Reeves was the perfect choice for Neo. He said he would have made the movie worse. Reeves has since publicly thanked Smith for passing on that iconic role.
Michael Madsen almost played Vincent Vega
Quentin Tarantino wrote Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction with Michael Madsen in mind. The two had built a great working bond on Reservoir Dogs. Madsen had to pass due to his commitment to Wyatt Earp.
John Travolta stepped in and delivered one of cinema’s most iconic comeback performances. Madsen said he holds absolutely no real regrets about his decision. He admitted Travolta’s casting was a huge reason the film worked.
Rachel McAdams kept turning down The Devil Wears Prada
Rachel McAdams was the top choice for Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada. Director Frankel confirmed the role was offered to her three times. She declined every time, wanting to step away from Hollywood.
Anne Hathaway landed the part despite being the ninth choice on the casting list. She campaigned hard and refused to give up on the role. The film’s success went on to fully relaunch her career.
Henry Cavill almost became James Bond
Henry Cavill auditioned for James Bond in Casino Royale and impressed director Martin Campbell. He made it to the final casting rounds with ease. The team felt he looked too young to play the spy.
Daniel Craig was cast and went on to completely redefine Bond for a new era. Cavill later landed Superman in Man of Steel. His Bond audition footage still remains a very popular topic among fans.
Christian Bale beat DiCaprio to American Psycho
Director Mary Harron wanted Christian Bale for the lead in American Psycho. The studio pushed for DiCaprio and created a major conflict. Harron was briefly fired over the casting disagreement with studio executives on set.
DiCaprio eventually dropped out, allowing Harron to return with Bale. She brought him back and the result was a critically acclaimed performance. American Psycho is still one of Bale’s most recognized and talked about roles.
Viggo Mortensen was a last-minute Aragorn
Stuart Townsend was cast as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings and trained for months. He was completely ready to go. But the day before filming began, the team told him he was replaced.
Viggo Mortensen stepped in at the last minute to take over the role. Townsend spoke about the painful experience to Entertainment Weekly later. Mortensen’s Aragorn is now considered one of fantasy cinema’s absolute greatest performances.
Featured Image: Photo by Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons
