Imagine Neo evaded bullets with Will Smith swagger. Or Gandalf sporting Sean Connery’s brogue echoing throughout Middle-earth? Hollywood’s past is filled with intriguing “what-if” parts that nearly went to a totally different person. These close calls in casting could’ve revolutionized pop culture, giving us parallel universes where our favorite films looked (and sounded) outlandishly different. Let’s go down the rabbit hole and count down 10 of the largest film roles actors notoriously turned down, beginning with number 10 for the greatest suspense.
10. Amanda Seyfried – Gamora (Guardians of the Galaxy)
Amanda Seyfried was offered the part of Gamora before Zoe Saldaña became everyone’s favorite green-skinned assassin. She turned it down, fearing the film would bomb and that she would have to endure hours of makeup each day. Seyfried later confessed to thinking Guardians was too weird to work, “Who’s going to see a movie about a talking raccoon and a tree?” before chuckling, “I was really wrong.”
9. Emily Blunt – Black Widow (Iron Man 2)
Emily Blunt was initially considered for Natasha Romanoff before Scarlett Johansson was cast. The catch? Blunt was contracted for Gulliver’s Travels. She has since referred to the missed chance as “heartbreaking,” but she’s now more than caught up with action-packed roles such as Edge of Tomorrow and Sicario.
8. Brian Cox – King Robert Baratheon (Game of Thrones)
Before playing the powerful Waystar Royco CEO as Logan Roy, Brian Cox was nearly ruling the Seven Kingdoms. The Succession actor was initially offered the role of King Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones, but declined it after disagreeing with the low salary and realizing that the character wouldn’t be around for long. In hindsight, Cox conceded that he might have underestimated how big the show would get and quipped, “The pay gets better with each season, but Robert didn’t really make it that far.”
7. Sandra Bullock – Neo (The Matrix)
Here’s a doozy: The Wachowskis initially thought about rewriting Neo as a woman, with Sandra Bullock topping the bill. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told them they were willing to make some adjustments to the script for her, but Bullock wasn’t interested, and the plan died on the vine. Keanu Reeves was ultimately cast in the role, redefining his career (and action films) forever.
6. Leonardo DiCaprio – Neo (The Matrix)
After Titanic, DiCaprio was the golden boy of Hollywood and almost went down the red pill himself. He met with the Wachowskis but pulled out, claiming he couldn’t do another effects movie so soon after Titanic. It’s great fun to dream of Leo in a leather trench coat—but Keanu’s subtle intensity made Neo irreplaceable.
5. Brad Pitt – Neo (The Matrix)
Yes, Brad Pitt was also on the shortlist for The Matrix. He actually considered taking the part before declining, quipping afterwards, “I took the red pill.” According to him, he just did not think the role was his, and quite frankly, it’s difficult to disagree with how well Keanu suited the role.
4. Will Smith – Neo (The Matrix)
This one’s the stuff of myth. Will Smith passed on The Matrix after failing to “get” the Wachowskis’ pitch, instead going on to star in Wild Wild West. He’s since referred to it as one of his greatest career regrets, though he joked that if he’d have taken it, Morpheus would have been played by Val Kilmer rather than Laurence Fishburne. Talk about a whole different film.
3. Sean Connery – Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings)
Sean Connery was approached to play Gandalf, along with a percentage of the box office, but rejected the opportunity because he “didn’t get the script.” Looking back, that’s perhaps the most costly misunderstanding in film history. Ian McKellen filled the void and created cinematic magic, while Connery remained committed to roles he could completely comprehend.
2. Matt Damon – Jake Sully (Avatar)
James Cameron wanted Matt Damon for Avatar, and even offered him 10% of the film’s profits. Damon declined to focus on the Bourne series, missing out on a reported $250 million payday. He’s joked about it ever since, saying, “You’ll never meet an actor who turned down more money than me.” Sam Worthington ended up leading the highest-grossing movie ever.
1. Jodie Foster – Princess Leia (Star Wars)
Before Carrie Fisher’s legendary buns and attitude, Jodie Foster was in hot negotiations to portray Princess Leia. She had to decline because she was shooting Taxi Driver concurrently. Foster’s take on Leia would have been interesting, but certain roles are just meant to be, and Fisher’s was meant to be.
Hollywood “what ifs” are like movie fan fiction, exciting, humorous, and a little bit unbelievable. From red pills to rebel princesses, these close calls serve as a reminder that behind every classic role is a long line of actors who nearly altered the course of movie history.