Did you know some of the most iconic TV and movie roles almost went to other actors? It’s hard to imagine some of these roles going to different people!
Hollywood is even more fascinating than we realize. So much work and time goes into creating the movies and shows we love so dearly. Sometimes, the original vision looks vastly different than the product we end up seeing on the screen. Sometimes it’s for the best, other times it’s a headscratcher. Here are 5 popular movie and TV roles that almost went to other actors.
What Popular Roles Almost Went To Other Actors?
Can you imagine someone other than Steve Carell playing Michael Scott on The Office? It almost happened! What about Harrison Ford’s iconic role as Han Solo in Star Wars? That role was also offered to someone else who turned it down. Who was originally supposed to play Shrek? Had these actors not turned down these roles, we could have watched shows and movies that were totally different!
We often forget that for these Hollywood actors, the roles they accept in movies and shows are jobs. They can impact their career and future earnings. So, they have to be selective with what roles they end up taking. Playing a character you have no business playing could ruin your career. Picking movie A over movie B could also end your career. There are a lot of choices to make and sometimes they make the right choice, and other times they end up regretting turning down a role that would go on to be an audience favorite for years to come.
Recently, this type of thing happened with the Barbie movie. At first, the role was going to go to comedian Amy Schumer instead of Margot Robbie. That would have been an incredibly different movie. Would it have been as huge as it was if it starred Schumer instead of Robbie? We may never know! These kind of things happen all the time and there are so many examples I couldn’t get to. Some of them are nothing short of shocking. Can you imagine George Clooney or Tom Cruise starring in The Notebook? It was discussed! How about Vince Vaughn playing Joey in Friends? That almost happened, too, according to Buzzfeed!
Check out the list of 5 popular movie and TV roles that almost went to different actors! We were very close to having a different reality and some of our favorite characters were almost played by someone else!