9 Big Hollywood Stars That Turned Down Iconic Roles
Hugh Jackman as James Bond? Bill Murray as Batman?! These casting choices almost happened, but the actors said "No." In some alternate reality, however, the Dark Knight is the greenskeeper from "Caddyshack." Here are more Hollywood stars and the iconic roles they turned down.
Jack Nicholson / Michael Corleone
The Oscar-winner turned down the role of Michael Corleone. Why? Because he knew it wasn't his to have. In a 2004 interview with Movieline, Nicholson said: "There were a lot of actors who could have played Michael, myself included, but Al Pacino was Michael Corleone. I can't think of a better compliment to pay him.
Al Pacino / Han Solo
Pacino took the role of once and future Don Corleone instead of jumping behind the controls of the Millennium Falcon. The Oscar-winner was one of many big names up for the part of Han Solo, including Nick Nolte and Christopher Walken!
Julia Roberts / Leigh Anne Tuohy ('The Blind Side')
Roberts seems to have a habit of turning down parts that Sandy Bullocks eventually takes. The "Pretty Woman" star passed on this Oscar-winning role and that of Bullock's character in the 2009 rom-com "The Proposal."
Harrison Ford / Dr. Alan Grant ('Jurassic Park')
That's a pic of Ford tackling his agent. JK. But we bet he'd like to now, in retrospect, after passing on the role of our favorite raptor expert and hater of "small versions of adults." Nature finds a way -- and we're pretty sure Ford wishes he could get a mulligan on "Jurassic." Or the role of covert CIA man Bob Barnes in "Syriana," which Ford passed on and George Clooney took -- all the way to the Oscars, where he won Best Supporting Actor.
Johnny Depp / Ferris Bueller
Cameron's best friend was almost played by Captain Jack. Instead, Matthew Broderick took on our favorite skipper of school and we can't imagine it any other way.
Bill Murray / Batman
You see, kids, the '80s were a wonderful time. Where bad ideas were indistinguishable from good ones, thanks to lots of big hair and coke. How else can you explain Bill Murray finding himself on the short-list to don the cape and cowl in Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster?
Leonardo DiCaprio / Dirk Diggler
Okay, while the once and future Brock Landers isn't as big a gig as Batman, it still packs (pun SO intended) quite a punch to know that the world came this close to having DiCaprio sing a a duet of "Feel, Feel, Feel My Heat."
Hugh Jackman / James Bond
There is still hope for this one, as Jackman has recently hinted that he is still open to putting on 007's tux. (And given Daniel Craig's recent comments about preferring to "slash his wrists" before ever playing Bond again, maybe Jackman will have his shot sooner rather than later.)
Sean Connery / Gandalf
Speaking of 007... "You shall not pass!" Or don Gandalf's magical ZZ Top beard and excessive wizard hat. Yep, Connery turned down a role that would have minted him money. He also hard-passed on Morpheus in "The Matrix." Why? According to "League of Extraordinary Gentleman" producer Don Murphy, Connery told him: "I got offered ['LOTR'], and I turned it down because I didn't understand it. I was offered 'The Matrix' twice, and I turned it down because I didn't understand it." Connery claimed to also not understand "LXG," but opted not to turn it down. Now that's something we don't understand.
