10 Actors Who Almost Refused Parts in Iconic Movies but Changed Their Minds and Hit the Jackpot

Sometimes the story of a movie’s creation is more fascinating than the movie itself. Some actors would agree to play a small part and become famous. While others would turn down a cool project and never get another chance to play in something like this. And there are actors who refused parts in movies, but then changed their minds and hit the jackpot.

At Bright Side, we would like to tell you about actors and actresses who almost turned down their opportunity to play in an iconic movie.

Richard Gere — Pretty Woman

Richard Gere didn’t want to take part in this project. He neither liked the story nor his character, he thought they were secondary and empty. But film director Garry Marshall, who offered this role to Gere a few times, didn’t give up and bet it all on Julia Roberts.

Marshall invited both actors to meet him and left them alone to talk. Then Julia gave him a piece of paper, saying, “Please say yes.” And the actor agreed. So, you can say that he took the role because of Roberts.

Al Pacino — The Godfather

The actor liked the script of The Godfather, but he wanted to play a different character. He thought that the role of Sonny was more appropriate for him than the role of Michael.

But eventually he agreed to the film director’s offer, and we received another cult role played by Al Pacino.

Jim Carrey — How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Jim Carrey agreed to take the role first, but then decided that he couldn’t cope with the heavy makeup and work conditions. On the set of the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, he felt that he was not made up, but buried alive.

Jim was ready to quit, but the producers came up with a brilliant solution. They hired a special trainer who taught Carrey how to endure the torture.

Peter Dinklage — Game of Thrones

It’s hardly possible that the fans of Game of Thrones can imagine anyone else as Tyrion Lannister. The same thing refers to the series scriptwriters who wanted Dinklage for this role. But Peter had a different opinion.

The actor had to take some time to make a decision because he didn’t want to play in something of a fantasy genre because he thought he’d have to wear a long beard and pointed shoes. However, when he learned more about the story and studied his character, he finally said, “Yes.”

Michelle Rodriguez — Fast & Furious

The Fast & Furious franchise made Michelle an internationally famous actress, but initially she wanted to turn down the role. The aspiring actress thought that her character wasn’t developed well enough, and she wanted it to be rewritten.

The producers didn’t agree to her demands and were it not for Vin Diesel’s involvement, Rodriguez would likely have left the project.

Emma Watson — Harry Potter film series

Emma Watson got lucky at a very young age when she played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series. But she wanted to leave the project after film 4 and not reprise this pivotal role. It turned out that Emma was very much like her character and also wanted to succeed in her studies.

Eventually, Watson decided to stay. But she didn’t give up her goals and got her bachelor’s degree in English literature.

Chris Evans — The Avengers

One of the most touching stories about a last-minute change of heart involves Chris Evans. It turns out that he didn’t want to play Captain America in The Avengers films because he was afraid of the media attention.

But he followed his mother’s advice, who said that this role was a great opportunity for him and that he wouldn’t have to worry about paying the rent anymore.

Leonardo DiCaprio — Titanic

It’s impossible to imagine Titanic without Leonardo DiCaprio, but it could’ve happened in reality. The young actor didn’t want to play in another melodrama, he was only interested in serious dramatic projects.

However, film director James Cameron managed to convince him to take the role in Titanic, and we are eternally grateful to him for this.

Jennifer Lawrence — The Hunger Games

If there’s another parent we need to thank for convincing their child to accept a role, it’s Jennifer Lawrence’s mother. At that time, the actress mostly had roles in independent films, she liked doing movies that had a small budget and no big stars.

But she still believed that the story was more important than the budget, and she liked the books about Katniss Everdeen. So, when Jennifer turned the role in The Hunger Games down, her mother called her a hypocrite. And Jennifer changed her mind.

Emma Stone — La La Land

Stone was famous before La La Land, but the role in this movie brought her an Oscar for Best Actress. Actually, Emma liked the project, but she was afraid it just wasn’t for her in a physical sense.

She was doing the Cabaret show on Broadway and was sick, and she thought that she wouldn’t be capable of dancing and singing in 2 projects simultaneously. But film director Damien Chazelle wouldn’t give up. After she turned the role down, he met with her once again and showed her demo tracks. And finally, the actress said yes.

Can you imagine anyone else in these roles? Share your opinion in the comments below.

The bond between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet was further solidified by a pivotal conversation during the “Titanic” shoot. DiCaprio’s affirmation of Winslet’s body shape challenged prevailing beauty standards and bolstered her confidence. This exchange not only deepened their friendship but also positioned Winslet as a champion for body positivity.