John Travolta as Forrest Gump? Difficult to envision, but it could have happened: Travolta turned down the role before Tom Hanks ended up with it, according to HLN's list of 18 iconic roles that almost went to different actors. More:
- Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix, and Keanu Reeves got the part.
- Ralph Macchio, aka the Karate Kid, turned down the role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future, and Michael J. Fox ended up with it.
- Michelle Pfeiffer was the first choice of director Jonathan Demme to play Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs, but of course, Jodie Foster ended up with the role.
- Tom Selleck couldn't get out of his Magnum PI contract, but if he could have, he might have played Indiana Jones instead of Harrison Ford.
- Speaking of iconic Harrison Ford roles, Christopher Walken was the first actor offered the role of Han Solo in Star Wars.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar turned down the role of Cher in Clueless, and Alicia Silverstone got it.
- Sean Connery reportedly turned down the role of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings because he didn't quite get the script. Ian McKellen got the part.
- Johnny Depp had a scheduling conflict, otherwise he could have played Ferris Bueller instead of Matthew Broderick.
Click for the complete list, including a Brat Pack-er who could have had the lead role in
Pretty Woman. (More
Johnny Depp stories.)
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