10 Iconic Roles That Slipped Away From Famous Actors Like Sand Through Their Fingers

People make mistakes, and celebrities are no exception. You can’t be 100% sure whether a film will fail or get lots of awards and become a box-office hit. We have found out what iconic roles our favorite actors narrowly missed and why it happened. And at the end of the article, you will find out what film Madonna turned down.

Matt Damon — Avatar

Mentions of how Matt Damon turned down a role in Avatar always amuse the film’s director James Cameron. The thing is, he not only offered the actor the lead role, but also 10% of the box office earnings. Considering how much Avatar made at the box office, it’s easy to calculate that Damon missed out on approximately $250 million.

Naomi Watts — Harry Potter movies

It turns out that Naomi Watts could have played Narcissa Malfoy. However, she didn’t even get to audition because her agency representative declined the offer on her behalf without informing the actress.

Hugh Grant — Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hugh Grant was invited to play the role of the narcissistic professor Gilderoy Lockhart, but he had to turn down the role due to his busy schedule. In the end, Kenneth Branagh played the professor.

Josh Hartnett — The Prestige

The actor has openly regretted several times turning down the lead role in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Josh was afraid that he would only be perceived as the blockbuster star and would get stuck in that image for a long time. Despite considering Nolan incredibly cool and talented, the actor rejected the offer. After that, the director didn’t want to cast Josh in his film The Prestige and chose Christian Bale instead.

“They not only invited Bale but also the girl I was dating at the time [Scarlett Johansson],” the actor said in an interview. “I know now that I wouldn’t turn something down just because it’s a superhero role.”

Eddie Murphy — Ghostbusters

The list of roles that the actor has turned down is almost as long as the list of roles he eventually played. In the early ’80s, he was offered a role in the comedy-fantasy film Ghostbusters, but Murphy thought it was complete nonsense.

Amanda Seyfried — Wicked: Part One

After the movies Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables, in which the actress demonstrated her vocal abilities, her secret dream was to get the role of the good witch Glinda in the film adaptation of the famous musical Wicked. However, she missed out on this role, which she deeply regrets.

“I have dreams that I’m still auditioning,” Amanda confessed. The role of her dreams went to singer Ariana Grande, and the premiere of the film is scheduled for November 27, 2024.

Dylan Minnette — Spider-Man movies

The actor, known for the TV series 13 Reasons Why, auditioned for the role of the new Spider-Man. In the end, Tom Holland got the part, but Dylan was not upset that another actor was chosen instead of him. He admitted that he didn’t give his all during the audition because he wasn’t sure if the role was right for him. However, he is genuinely happy for Tom and believes that Marvel absolutely made the right choice.

Lily Collins — Gossip Girl

At the age of 17, Lily Collins definitely had a chance to star in Gossip Girl. She auditioned for the role of Jenny Humphrey and was fairly successful in the casting process. However, despite Lily’s enormous desire and achievements, the role was given to Taylor Momsen.

Jennifer Lawrence — Gossip Girl

At 16 years old, Jennifer Lawrence could have appeared in Gossip Girl. She was eager to play the role of Serena van der Woodsen and was extremely disappointed when she didn’t get the part. Blake Lively landed the role of a high school student in her 20s. The creators of the show preferred to work with a more mature actress.

Julia Roberts — The Proposal

At some point, the queen of romantic comedies grew tired of the repetitive roles that were being offered to her, one after another, and simply started turning her nose up at rom-coms. This included Julia declining to star in director Anne Fletcher’s new film The Proposal. So, the lead role went to Sandra Bullock. The film not only proved to be commercially successful but also won favor with critics, and Sandra Bullock was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Margaret.

Also in 2009, Sandra picked up another role that Julia turned down, and she hit the jackpot. Her performance in the movie The Blind Side not only earned her a Golden Globe nomination but also an Academy Award.

Bonus: Madonna — Showgirls

In an interview, Madonna confirmed rumors that she had declined the role of Nomi in Showgirls at one point and said she doesn’t regret it at all.

Do you want to find out what other roles slipped away from famous actors? Here are more articles about similar stories:

• 21 Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Roles, and It Changed the Movies for the Better
• 13 Iconic Roles That Could’ve Been Played by Different Actors
• 10 Stars Who Turned Down Iconic Roles
• 20+ Iconic Roles That Could Have Been Played by Different Actors
• 7 Actors Who Got Their Iconic Roles Thanks to Some Weird Reasons