World’s worst… movie turndowns

 

Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future as Michael J Fox had other filming commitments. Four weeks into filming, Robert Zemeckis (director) decided Stoltz was miscast. Although he and Spielberg (producer) realised reshooting the film would add $3 million to the $14 million budget, they decided to recast Fox.

An ongoing blog series examining the best “world’s worst” lists on the Interweb. This time, decisions of actors and actresses to pass up prime movie roles.

 

1. Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward Norton turned down the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, the part ultimately going to Christian Bale.
2. Sean Connery rejected the role of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The part went to Ian McKellen who earned $400 million dollars (15% of the film’s profit).
3. Nicholas Cage and Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix. The part went to Keanu Reeves – surely Cage would have been too old.
4. Michelle Pfeiffer, Geena Davis, Meg Ryan, Linda Hamilton and Melanie Griffith all passed on the role of Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs. The part went to Jodie Foster.
5. Gwyneth Paltrow turned down the role of Rose Dawson in Titanic. The part went to Kate Winslet.