Here are 10 Hollywood Actors Who Missed Great Opportunities

Sep 06, 2023

By: Vallari Vaidya

Hollywood actors declined roles that turned out to be huge hits

Many Hollywood stars owe their success to making the right career choices, especially when it comes to selecting which roles to take on and which to pass up. Acting demands a significant time commitment, limiting the number of projects actors can participate i...

1.  Emma Roberts

Roberts, who starred in "Scream Queens" and "American Horror Story," was initially set to join the cast of "Spring Breakers" alongside Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens. However, she opted out of the film due to "creative diff...

2. Emma Stone

The award-winning American actress and singer, fresh from her role in "The Amazing Spider-Man," declined an offer to join the all-female "Ghostbusters" (2016) cast. Although she found the script funny, Stone wasn't prepared to commit t...

3. Rachel McAdams

It's hard to picture "The Devil Wears Prada" without Anne Hathaway, but it almost happened if Rachel McAdams had accepted Fox's offer to play the lead. McAdams might regret her decision, as the film was a massive box office hit, grossing ov...

4. Jennifer Lawrence

Quentin Tarantino, director of "The Hateful Eight," initially considered Jennifer Lawrence for the lead role. However, due to Lawrence's busy schedule shooting "Joy" and promoting "The Hunger Games," the idea was put on hold....

5. Leonardo DiCaprio

In this case, Leonardo DiCaprio turned down the role of mathematician Alan Turing in "The Imitation Game". Initially, Warner Bros. secured the rights because of DiCaprio's interest, but when he didn't commit nor formalize anything they aban...

6. Matthew McConaughey

The actor had to make a crucial decision between two major franchises: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" and "The Dark Tower". He chose the latter, as he believed it offered a fresh opportunity to shape his character and let it develop o...

7. Willow Smith

The "Annie" remake initially aimed to cast Willow Smith, daughter of actor-producer Will Smith, as the star. However, Willow, who was just a child at the time, faced difficulties during her "Whip My Hair" tour and decided to drop out. Despi...

8. Miles Teller

The role of Sebastian in "La La Land" was originally written for Miles Teller, but after prolonged contract negotiations, he stepped aside. The director then cast Ryan Gosling, who, despite being seven years older than Teller, learned to play the pia...

9. Molly Ringwald

Many actresses were considered for the role of Vivian in "Pretty Woman," but director Garry Marshall's first choice was Molly Ringwald, known for her roles in '80s classics like "The Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink"....

10. Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock was initially considered for the role of boxer Maggie Fitzgerald in "Million Dollar Baby". However, due to scheduling conflicts with "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous," Bullock couldn't take the role. As a res...