There are many ways to get a starring role. Some actors are selected during castings, while others are invited due to their popularity, which is what happened to Kate Winslet after Titanic. But not all auditions end successfully, or actors may not agree to offers made by film directors or producers. For example, Russell Crowe refused to star in Lord of the Rings because his intuition told him so.
At Bright Side, we imagined what our favorite characters would look like if other people portrayed them.
Daenerys Targaryen — Elizabeth Olsen
The actress, who has become famous for her role of the Scarlet Witch, failed auditions for the role of Mother of Dragons at the beginning of her career. Elizabeth Olsen later described what happened: “It was the most awkward audition I’d ever had. I was doing the Khaleesi speech when she comes out of the fire. It was awful. I didn’t get a callback.” As a result, Daenerys was played by Emilia Clarke.
Aragorn — Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe was asked once whether he regretted refusing to play Aragorn in the iconic trilogy, Lord of the Rings. The actor honestly replied that he had never thought about it and explained why he didn’t join the project. According to Crowe, Peter Jackson never really wanted to cast him for the role of Aragorn. Russell’s instinct told him that the director already had a suitable person in mind, so he politely declined the offer.
Ellie Sattler — Gwyneth Paltrow
In 1992, Gwyneth Paltrow wanted to get the role of Dr. Ellie Sattler. This part would’ve really helped the career of the aspiring actress because Jurassic Park had become a popular franchise. However, the future star failed, and the role went to Laura Dern.
James Bond — Henry Cavill
Now it’s hard to imagine anyone but the brilliant Daniel Craig playing this role, but Henry Cavill had a chance to become the new Agent 007. The actor was turned down because he was “a little chubby.” Cavill accepted the criticism with dignity and began to do more physical training, which helped him in his future career.
Jane Smith — Gwen Stefani
Popular singer Gwen Stefani is a truly versatile person. She almost landed the lead role in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Stefani went to quite a few auditions, but eventually, she made a choice in favor of a musical career. And Jane Smith was played by the amazing Angelina Jolie.
Indiana Jones — Tom Selleck
The actor almost played the cheerful adventurer. Tom Selleck got the role of Indiana Jones, but by that time, he had already signed on for the Magnum, P.I. TV series, and the producers didn’t allow him to combine the 2 projects.
Prince Caspian — Nicholas Hoult
According to the actor, auditions for the role of Prince Caspian were the worst in his career. Nicholas Hoult was asked to speak with a Hispanic accent, like Puss in Boots from Shrek. Holt was embarrassed by this request because he wasn’t prepared for it. Eventually, the role went to British actor Ben Barnes, who was the perfect fit.
Viola De Lesseps — Kate Winslet
After the resounding success of Titanic, Kate Winslet received many offers from different film directors. She was invited to take part in Shakespeare in Love, but the actress refused because she wanted to work on more independent projects. Eventually, Gwyneth Paltrow landed the role. And she made the right choice, as she was awarded an Oscar for her performance.
Alex Munday — Angelina Jolie
We know from Angelina Jolie’s filmography that she loves to take part in action flicks. But still, there was a similar project the actress rejected. Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz did their best to convince Jolie to play their partner but to no avail.
Jolie felt she wasn’t right for this role and later explained her refusal: “I’m not at that point in my career, so audiences won’t have as much fun watching me run around in high heels chasing bad guys and flipping my hair.”
Patrick Bateman — Johnny Depp
Initially, American Psycho was supposed to be directed by Stuart Gordon. The director saw only Johnny Depp in the main role and persuaded him to take it. But the author of the novel abruptly changed his mind. He pulled Stuart Gordon’s rights to the book and called Johnny Depp a lightweight actor who was too old to play the part. Depp was 28 at the time.
Christian Grey — Charlie Hunnam
In 2013, all the newspapers announced the news of the year: Charlie Hunnam would star in the screen adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. But a few months later, the actor changed his mind and refused the role. As it turned out, Hunnam had a nervous breakdown due to his busy work schedule.
The actor realized that he wouldn’t be able to do his job properly, but this decision was very difficult for him. Hunnam hasn’t seen any of the films in the trilogy because he called that situation “the worst professional experience” of his life.
Do you think the actors from our article would have been more convincing in these roles? Share your opinion in the comments below.
Preview photo credit Game of Trones / HBO, Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP / East News
I MARRIED A WIDOWER WITH A SMALL SON – ONE DAY, THE BOY TOLD ME THAT HIS REAL MOM STILL LIVES IN OUR HOUSE
The antique clock in the hallway chimed six times, its resonant tones echoing through the quiet house. I knelt on the living room carpet, building a precarious tower of blocks with Lucas, my five-year-old stepson. He giggled, his small hands clumsily placing a wobbly blue block atop the structure.
“Careful, Lucas,” I cautioned, “it’s going to fall!”
He squealed with delight as the tower swayed, then crashed to the ground. But his laughter died abruptly, replaced by a wide-eyed stare directed towards the hallway.
“Mom says you shouldn’t touch her things,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
A shiver ran down my spine. “What do you mean, sweetie?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
He pointed towards the hallway, his eyes fixed on something I couldn’t see. “Mom says she doesn’t like it when you move her picture.”
My heart pounded in my chest. “Lucas,” I said, forcing a smile, “your mom… she’s not here anymore, remember?”
He shook his head, his expression serious. “No, she is. She’s right there.”
I followed his gaze, my eyes scanning the empty hallway. There was nothing there, just the familiar antique furniture and the framed photographs on the wall. Yet, Lucas’s words echoed in my mind, fueling a growing unease that had been plaguing me for weeks.
It had started with a simple whisper, a chilling confession as I tucked him into bed one night. “My real mom still lives here,” he had said, his voice barely a breath.
I had dismissed it as a child’s overactive imagination, a way of coping with the loss of his mother. But then, strange things started happening. Lucas’s toys, meticulously tidied away, would reappear in the middle of the living room floor. Kitchen cabinets, carefully organized, would be found rearranged overnight. And the photograph of Ben’s late wife, Mary, which I had moved to a less prominent spot, kept returning to its original place on the mantelpiece, perfectly dusted.
I had tried to rationalize it, to attribute it to forgetfulness or coincidence. But the incidents grew more frequent, more unsettling. And Ben, my husband, seemed oblivious, or perhaps, deliberately blind to it all.
“Ben,” I had said one evening, my voice trembling, “have you noticed anything… strange happening around the house?”
He had looked at me, his brow furrowed. “Strange? Like what?”
I hesitated, unsure how to articulate the growing sense of unease that had taken root in my heart. “I don’t know… things moving, things changing…”
He had chuckled, dismissing my concerns with a wave of his hand. “You’re just tired, darling. It’s been a stressful few weeks.”
But I wasn’t tired. I was terrified.
Now, as I looked at Lucas, his eyes wide with conviction, I knew I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Something was happening in this house, something I couldn’t explain.
“Lucas,” I said, my voice gentle, “can you tell me more about your mom? What does she look like?”
He tilted his head, his brow furrowed in thought. “She’s very pretty,” he said. “She has long hair, like you. And she wears a white dress.”
My blood ran cold. The description matched the woman in the photograph, the woman whose presence seemed to linger in every corner of this house.
“And what does she say to you?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Lucas looked at me, his eyes filled with a chilling seriousness. “She says she’s not happy,” he whispered. “She says you’re trying to take her place.”
A wave of fear washed over me, so intense it almost brought me to my knees. I looked around the room, the familiar furniture suddenly seeming menacing, the shadows deepening in the corners. I felt a presence, a cold, unseen gaze fixed upon me.
I had married a widower, a man I loved deeply, a man who had welcomed me into his life and his home. But I had also married into a house haunted by the past, a house where the presence of his late wife lingered, a house where I was not welcome.
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