Our favorite movie characters played by other actors might be hard to picture. After all, it’s like the actors who actually played the roles were only intended for them, and other artists were possibly not even considered by the directors for the part. However, it’s not that different from recruiting workers at every other job to look for actors for films. That’s why, as well as a lot of rivalries, the complexities of making a choice are also present in the film industry.
Rachel McAdams as Andy (The Devil Wears Prada)
Initially, the filmmakers wanted Rachel McAdams to play Andy. They wanted a successful and famous actress to play the main role. Hathaway, who at that time was only popular for family movies like The Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted, had an advantage over the star of The Notebook and Mean Girls. The role eventually went to Anne, however, after McAdams turned down the offer several times, stating that she wanted to stay away from conventional roles for a while.
Matthew McConaughey as Jack (Titanic)
That’s right, the co-stars of The Wolf of Wall Street once went up against each other over Jack’s part. It’s understood that McConaughey had already auditioned before DiCaprio appeared and was completely confident that he would get the part. James Cameron, however, noticed during Leonardo’s audition how attractive the young actor was to the opposite sex: everyone gathered in the room to see him, from the female accountants to the security service staff. In choosing the protagonist, this magnetism played a crucial role.
Emma Stone as Meg (Little Women)
From the start of production, Lady Bird screenwriter and director Greta Gerwig had her heart set on Emma Stone for this role. However, because of promotional commitments for the 20th Century Fox film The Favorite, in which she played one of the lead roles, the actress was unable to take on the part. That’s why Sony Pictures Entertainment quickly found a substitute, hiring Emma Watson, the Harry Potter star.
Al Pacino as Edward (Pretty Woman)
It turned out that the casting process for this movie was very complicated and lengthy. For the position of Edward, Garry Marshall, the director, had several applicants. One of them was Al Pacino. Unlike the others, he auditioned alongside Julia Roberts before turning down the part. Initially, Richard Gere also rejected the part, but after meeting with him, Julia managed to persuade him to play Edward.
Rosamund Pike as Rita Skeeter (Harry Potter)
Rosamund Pike was initially excited about the opportunity to play a role in the cult movie series. But when the star learned that she was going to have to sign a contract for two films at once, she had to turn the part down. Pike honestly agreed that it was too hard for her to fulfill those responsibilities, especially considering that it was a supporting role. It’s a shame to see her playing such an odd character for her. It would have been fascinating.
Nicolas Cage as Joel (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
The film’s producers were considering his close friend Nicolas Cage for the role of Joel before Jim Carrey got his hands on the script and expressed interest in the project. However, due to his increased demand among independent directors after starring in the film Leaving Las Vegas, Cage was unavailable.
Hugh Jackman as the nameless driver (Drive)
Drive’s film adaptation was announced in early 2008. Neil Marshall was identified as the film producer at the time and the main star was Hugh Jackman. But all had changed drastically by February 2010. Marshall was replaced by Mark Platt, who contacted actors from his own pool of talent in exchange.
His favorite was Ryan Gosling. Interestingly, Gosling had already declined to participate in most action movies before that, as he hated movies that focused more on tricks than on characters. But his interest was piqued by the Drive storyline, so he accepted Platt’s position two days after receiving the proposal.
Frances Cobain as Alice (Alice In Wonderland)
The director of the film, Tim Burton, believed that Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love’s daughter would be a great match for Alice’s role. Frances, however, chose to go to college at that time and declined to participate in the movie.
Jim Carrey as Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)
For the role of charismatic Captain Jack Sparrow, several well-known actors were considered. The scriptwriter himself wanted Hugh Jackman to play him, but due to his similarity to Bert Lancaster, the studio had its sights set on Matthew McConaughey. However, Jim Carrey was offered the part later, but due to the shooting of Bruce Almighty, the actor had to turn it down.
Walt Disney Pictures eventually recruited Johnny Depp, who was interested in starring in a family movie at the time.
Liam Aiken as Harry (Harry Potter)
Few people know that Harry Potter was one step away from having a new face, literally. Liam Aiken, best known for his appearance in the movie Stepmom, almost played the role of ‘The Boy Who Lived,’ but he lost it a day later. The truth is, the producers wanted the young wizard’s part to be performed by a British actor.
Emilia Clarke and Theo James as Anastasia and Christian (Fifty Shades of Grey)
For the part of this famous on-screen couple, several actors tried themselves. Actors such as Alexander Skarsgård, Christian Cook, and Theo James were among the candidates for the position of Christian (who had already had a successful role in Divergent). Emilia Clarke was initially cast for the role of Ana by the film’s producer, and the actress herself was still keen on collaborating with the team, but she was very terrified by the abundance of on-screen nudity and explicit scenes.
Preview photo credit Fifty Shades of Grey \ Focus Features, Me Before You \ New Line Cinema, Lying and Stealing \ Vertical Entertainment
