Have you ever wondered how Hollywood might look today if different actors had portrayed the heroes of iconic productions? It turns out that for many blockbuster films, like "Titanic" or "The Devil Wears Prada," the lead roles were originally intended for other stars.
She could have starred in "Titanic." Paltrow turned down the role of Rose to make a splash in another film
James Cameron's "Titanic" is considered one of the most important films in the history of world cinema. The iconic pair, Rose DeWitt Bukater and Jack Dawson, were brought to life by Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, although the director initially had a different vision. It turns out that the role of the stowaway immigrant was initially offered to Matthew McConaughey, while the aristocrat Rose was meant to be played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Ultimately, Paltrow passed on the film, which turned out to be a wise decision as she starred in John Madden's "Shakespeare in Love" just a year later, winning her only Oscar to date.
It's worth noting that Paltrow wasn't the first choice for that role either. The lead role in "Shakespeare in Love" was originally offered to Julia Roberts, but she backed out due to other professional commitments. This wasn't the only hit film she turned down; she also passed on the romantic comedy "You've Got Mail" around the same time and the biographical film "The Blind Side" more than a decade later.
Not just Audrey Hepburn. These actresses starred in iconic films because their colleagues turned down the roles
Do you remember the dramedy "The Devil Wears Prada," directed by David Frankel and based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger? The lead characters, Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs, were played by Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, but originally, the roles were offered to Glenn Close and Rachel McAdams. Both actresses declined. "There are definitely projects I regret not taking on, but in hindsight, I think the right person ended up in the right place," McAdams said in an interview.
Similarly, in the case of the iconic "Breakfast at Tiffany's," it was not Audrey Hepburn but Marilyn Monroe who was initially considered for the role of Holly Golightly. Although Monroe wanted to take the role, studio executives felt it wasn't up to her aspirations. After the film's release, she regretted listening to them, as the production brought immense fame to her three-years-younger colleague.
He was supposed to be James Bond but became a superhero instead. What other actor turned down an iconic role?
When the search for an actor to play James Bond in "Casino Royale" began in 2007, Hugh Jackman was the first candidate. Having already achieved success with "X-Men," the actor declined the offer due to commitments to the sequel. "I just felt the Bond scripts had become too unbelievable and detached. I thought they needed to be more grounded," he explained. "I was also worried that between X-Men and Bond, I wouldn't have time for other roles," he added. Ultimately, Daniel Craig took on the role of Agent 007, continuing in the role for five more films in the series.
Can you believe that Ian McKellen was not originally cast as Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings"? Director Peter Jackson initially wanted the iconic character to be portrayed by Sean Connery. Most of the cast were relatively unknown, so Jackson hoped that such a famous name would draw attention to the film. He even offered Connery a $30 million paycheck, but the actor wasn't interested. In interviews, Connery admitted that he didn't understand J.R.R. Tolkien's work, so he saw no point in participating in the adaptations.
