Here Are 10 Actors That Came So Close To Landing Really Awesome Roles But Didn't Get Them For Quite Strange Reasons
Finding someone to fill a role is quite hard, but some of these reasons are rather ridiculous.
Hollywood is full of “almost” stories, and these 10 actors are living proof. They circled roles that would have been wildly awesome, then watched the casting room go a totally different direction for reasons that are equal parts petty, hilarious, and baffling.
Take Christian Bale, who reportedly auditioned for Jack Dawson in Titanic, only for Leonardo DiCaprio to get the part because the movie supposedly did not want two British actors playing American roles in the same film. Or Robin Williams, who allegedly wanted Hagrid in Harry Potter, but the plan was to keep that character British, no exceptions. Then you’ve got the celebrity-level curveballs, like Harry Styles being deemed too recognizable, and Andrew Garfield getting the Prince Caspian “not handsome enough” rejection.
By the time you hit Eddie Redmayne’s Kylo Ren attempt and Tom Holland cracking up at the droid setup, you start to realize these casting decisions were never just about acting.
1. Christian Bale
Christian Bale auditioned for the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic; however, DiCaprio was eventually cast in the role because they said they didn't want two British actors playing American roles in the same movie.
East News2. Robin Williams
According to reports, Robin Williams wanted to portray Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series, but the role was meant to be filled by a British actor only. This is why he did not get the role.
East News3. Harry Styles
Harry Styles really wanted to play the role of Elvis; however, it just didn't work out for him. “Harry is an extremely talented actor,” the director stated. The fundamental problem? He’s Harry Styles, who’s already a famous, recognizable celebrity.” Instead, Austin Butler was cast in the role.
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4. Andrew Garfield
Andrew Garfield wanted to be Prince Caspian in the film The Chronicles of Narnia. “When I auditioned for Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia, I thought to myself, ‘This could be it, this could be it.’ But he didn’t get the part.
Ultimately, he wasn't cast for the role because he wasn't considered handsome enough.
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5. Eddie Redmayne
Eddie auditioned for the role of Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but unfortunately, he didn't get the role. Supposedly, he didn't succeed with the ‘koohh paaaaah’ voice. After about ten attempts, the casting director asked him, “Do you have anything else?” He replied, “No.”
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6. Tom Holland
Tom Holland wanted to portray Finn in the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. “I just couldn’t stop laughing,” he explained. His scene partner was trying so hard (and failing) to be a believable droid.
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This is also like the AITA situation where someone refused to lend money for a last-minute concert ticket.
7. Freddie Prinze Jr.
Freddie messed up by not discussing the right superhero. “I went into this entire world of what my favorite elements of Spider-Man were, and I naively brought up the alien symbiote, which is Venom,” he added.
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8. Robert Redford
Robert Redford wanted to play in The Grandfather, but as the director phrased it, he couldn’t portray a loser.
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9. Sean Young
Sean Young was meant to play Vicki in Batman. However, she had a bit of an accident and couldn't perform the part because it was too physical.
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10. Chris Klein
Chris Klein auditioned for Mamma Mia; however, he was expected to sing, which just didn't work out. He explained, “I’m not a singer! I’m not sure why I was in there. But I took a risk! It’s a musical, so let’s see if I can pull it off.”
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Christian Bale’s Titanic audition already had a weird nationality rule attached, and it only gets stranger from there with Robin Williams aiming for Hagrid in Harry Potter.
Then Harry Styles tries to land Elvis and gets shut down because he’s Harry Styles, a famous, instantly recognizable celebrity, which is somehow the problem.
Meanwhile, Andrew Garfield is told he was not considered handsome enough for Prince Caspian, and Eddie Redmayne apparently gets stuck on the “koohh paaaaah” voice for Kylo Ren.
These actors definitely missed out on some roles for some pretty odd reasons. However, we can't blame the production team or the director for choosing actors based on the best performances.
Regardless of how great these actors are, sometimes they just aren't the right fit for the role itself. What do you think?
Hollywood did not just cast actors, it cast vibes, and some of these vibes were apparently the wrong ones.
For a similar “friend in financial trouble” standoff, read about the AITA case of refusing to lend money.
