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30 Iconic Roles And The Actors Who Almost Played Them

John Travolta as Forrest Gump?

30 Iconic Roles And The Actors Who Almost Played Them

Some movie roles are so iconic that it is hard to picture anyone else in them, but Hollywood almost took plenty of those characters in a very different direction.

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This list looks at actors who auditioned for, were considered for, or turned down famous parts in movies like The Matrix, Harry Potter, Titanic, and Star Wars. In some cases, the near-casting makes sense, in others it feels wildly unexpected, and that is what makes the whole thing so fun.

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From Neo to Han Solo, these almost-cast choices could have changed everything. Read on.

1. Eddie Redmayne Actually Auditioned For The Part Of Star-Lord In "Guardians Of The Galaxy", But Chris Pratt Got The Part

1. Eddie Redmayne Actually Auditioned For The Part Of Star-Lord In "Guardians Of The Galaxy", But Chris Pratt Got The PartWikimedia Commons
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2. John Travolta Could've Been Forrest Gump

2. John Travolta Could've Been Forrest GumpWikimedia Commons
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3. Will Smith Turned Down The Role Of Neo In "The Matrix." Keanu Reeves Did Not.

3. Will Smith Turned Down The Role Of Neo In "The Matrix." Keanu Reeves Did Not.Wikimedia Commons

Some of these near-misses are easier to picture than others.

4. Christina Applegate Could've Been Elle Woods In "Legally Blonde." Reese Witherspoon Got The Part

4. Christina Applegate Could've Been Elle Woods In "Legally Blonde." Reese Witherspoon Got The PartWikimedia Commons

5. Sean Connery Didn't Want To Play Gandalf In "The Lord Of The Rings," Ian McKellen Took The Part

5. Sean Connery Didn't Want To Play Gandalf In "The Lord Of The Rings," Ian McKellen Took The PartWikimedia Commons

6. Bette Midler Turned Down "Sister Act." Whoopi Goldberg Got The Part

6. Bette Midler Turned Down "Sister Act." Whoopi Goldberg Got The PartWikimedia Commons

7. Henry Cavill Was Supposed To Play Edward Cullen In "Twilight," But Robert Pattinson Was Cast

7. Henry Cavill Was Supposed To Play Edward Cullen In "Twilight," But Robert Pattinson Was CastWikimedia Commons

8. Thomas Brodie-Sangster Could've Been Ron Weasley In "Harry Potter," But The Part Went To Rupert Grint

8. Thomas Brodie-Sangster Could've Been Ron Weasley In "Harry Potter," But The Part Went To Rupert GrintWikimedia Commons

9. Joanne Rowling Was Asked To Play Lily Potter But She Declined; Geraldine Somerville Did Not

9. Joanne Rowling Was Asked To Play Lily Potter But She Declined; Geraldine Somerville Did NotWikimedia Commons

10. Britney Spears Wanted To Play Allie In "The Notebook," But Rachel McAdams Got The Part

10. Britney Spears Wanted To Play Allie In "The Notebook," But Rachel McAdams Got The PartWikimedia Commons

That is a very different version of the same movie.

11. Tom Cruise Could've Been Iron Man

11. Tom Cruise Could've Been Iron ManWikimedia Commons

12. Liam Aiken Was Offered To Play Harry Potter, But Daniel Radcliffe Eventually Got The Part

12. Liam Aiken Was Offered To Play Harry Potter, But Daniel Radcliffe Eventually Got The PartWikimedia Commons

13. Russell Crowe Didn't Want To Play Aragorn In "The Lord Of The Rings"

13. Russell Crowe Didn't Want To Play Aragorn In "The Lord Of The Rings"Wikimedia Commons

14. Emma Watson Didn't Want To Play Mia In "La La Land," Emma Stone Did

14. Emma Watson Didn't Want To Play Mia In "La La Land," Emma Stone DidWikimedia Commons

15. Ryan Gosling Could've Been Doctor Strange, But The Part Went To Benedict Cumberbatch

15. Ryan Gosling Could've Been Doctor Strange, But The Part Went To Benedict CumberbatchWikimedia Commons

16. Paul Giamatti Didn't Want To Play Michael Scott In "The Office," Steve Carell Did

16. Paul Giamatti Didn't Want To Play Michael Scott In "The Office," Steve Carell DidWikimedia Commons

17. Emilia Clarke Turned Down The Role Of Anastasia Steele In "Fifty Shades Of Grey," Dakota Johnson Got It

17. Emilia Clarke Turned Down The Role Of Anastasia Steele In "Fifty Shades Of Grey," Dakota Johnson Got ItWikimedia Commons

18. Matthew McConaughey Auditioned For Jack Dawson In "Titanic," Leonardo DiCaprio Got The Part

18. Matthew McConaughey Auditioned For Jack Dawson In "Titanic," Leonardo DiCaprio Got The PartWikimedia Commons

By this point, the alternate casting choices start to feel almost endless.

It’s a little like the chaos when Hollywood stars wanted the Earth to swallow them whole.

19. The Producers Wanted Emily Blunt For Black Widow, But Scarlett Johansson Got The Part

19. The Producers Wanted Emily Blunt For Black Widow, But Scarlett Johansson Got The PartWikimedia Commons

20. Tim Roth Turned Down The Role Of Severus Snape; Alan Rickman Did Not

20. Tim Roth Turned Down The Role Of Severus Snape; Alan Rickman Did NotWikimedia Commons

21. Jim Carrey Was Considered For Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp Played Him

21. Jim Carrey Was Considered For Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp Played HimWikimedia Commons

22. Hugh Jackman Didn't Want To Play James Bond; Daniel Craig Did

22. Hugh Jackman Didn't Want To Play James Bond; Daniel Craig DidWikimedia Commons

23. Robin Williams Wanted To Be Rubeus Hagrid, But Robbie Coltrane Got The Part

23. Robin Williams Wanted To Be Rubeus Hagrid, But Robbie Coltrane Got The PartWikimedia Commons

24. Gwyneth Paltrow Didn't Want To Play Rose Dewitt Bukater In "Titanic," Kate Winslet Did

24. Gwyneth Paltrow Didn't Want To Play Rose Dewitt Bukater In "Titanic," Kate Winslet DidWikimedia Commons

25. Ian McKellen Didn't Want To Play Albus Dumbledore In "Harry Potter," Michael Gambon Did

25. Ian McKellen Didn't Want To Play Albus Dumbledore In "Harry Potter," Michael Gambon DidWikimedia Commons

26. Jack Nicholson Didn't Want To Play Michael Corleone In "The Godfather," And The Part Went To Al Pacino

26. Jack Nicholson Didn't Want To Play Michael Corleone In "The Godfather," And The Part Went To Al PacinoWikimedia Commons

27. Jennifer Lawrence Auditioned For Bella Swan In "Twilight," But Kristen Stewart Was Cast

27. Jennifer Lawrence Auditioned For Bella Swan In "Twilight," But Kristen Stewart Was CastWikimedia Commons

And somehow, the final stretch still has a few surprises left.

28. Hugh Grant Could've Been Gilderoy Lockhart In "Harry Potter," But Kenneth Branagh Got The Part

28. Hugh Grant Could've Been Gilderoy Lockhart In "Harry Potter," But Kenneth Branagh Got The PartWikimedia Commons

29. David Thewlis Was Considered For The Role Of Quirinus Quirrell In "Harry Potter," But The Part Went To Ian Hart

29. David Thewlis Was Considered For The Role Of Quirinus Quirrell In "Harry Potter," But The Part Went To Ian HartWikimedia Commons

30. Al Pacino Turned Down Han Solo In "Star Wars," Harrison Ford Was Cast

30. Al Pacino Turned Down Han Solo In "Star Wars," Harrison Ford Was CastWikimedia Commons

The list does make you wonder, doesn’t it? Would we love the characters the same way? Al Pacino would definitely bring a different vibe to the role of Han Solo, that’s for sure.

And Emily Blunt has certainly shown she can kick some ass in the recent movies she has appeared in. But could she have done it better than Scarlett Johansson?

Want more “almost” stories like Will Smith turning down Neo, see the secret twins hiding in plain sight.

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