Famous actors who almost played iconic movie roles

Some movie characters feel impossible to imagine with anyone else.

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Keanu Reeves as Neo. Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward. Ian McKellen as Gandalf. Daniel Craig as James Bond. These performances became part of film history, but many of them almost went to different actors.

Casting changes happen for many reasons. An actor may turn down a role, lose the part because of scheduling, leave a project, or simply not match the final direction the filmmakers choose. In some cases, the actor who passed on the role still went on to have a huge career. In others, the decision changed Hollywood history.

Here are famous stars who almost played iconic movie characters.

1. Tom Selleck almost played Indiana Jones

Before Harrison Ford became Indiana Jones, Tom Selleck was set to play the adventurous archaeologist in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Selleck lost the role because of his commitment to Magnum, P.I. The scheduling conflict meant he had to step away, and Ford took over the part that became one of the most famous action-adventure characters in film history. Selleck later wrote about the frustration of losing the role because of the television commitment.

Ford’s version of Indiana Jones became legendary across Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Dial of Destiny.

2. Will Smith turned down Neo in The Matrix

Will Smith was offered the role of Neo in The Matrix.

He turned it down and chose Wild Wild West instead. Keanu Reeves eventually played Neo, and the role became one of the defining sci-fi performances of the late 1990s. Smith publicly acknowledged being offered Neo and turning the role down.

Smith later joked about the decision, while Reeves’ calm, mysterious performance became central to the identity of The Matrix franchise.

3. Al Pacino turned down Han Solo

Al Pacino was offered the role of Han Solo in Star Wars after his success in The Godfather.

Pacino has said he did not understand the script, so he passed. Harrison Ford took the role, and Han Solo became one of the most beloved characters in movie history. Entertainment Weekly and Variety both reported Pacino’s comments about turning down the part.

The decision helped Ford become a major movie star and gave Star Wars one of its most charismatic heroes.

4. Sean Connery turned down Gandalf

Sean Connery was reportedly offered the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings.

He passed because he did not understand the material. Ian McKellen eventually played Gandalf, bringing warmth, wisdom, humor, and authority to the role across Peter Jackson’s trilogy. A Lord of the Rings producer said Connery turned down the role because he “just didn’t get it.”

Today, McKellen’s Gandalf is one of the most loved fantasy characters ever put on screen.

5. Hugh Jackman almost played James Bond

Before Daniel Craig became James Bond, Hugh Jackman had a chance to be considered for the role.

Jackman later explained that he did not want to take on Bond because he was already committed to Wolverine and wanted more creative input on the scripts. Collider reported Jackman’s explanation for saying no to the Bond opportunity.

Craig eventually took the role in Casino Royale, giving the franchise a colder, more physical, and more emotionally grounded version of 007.

6. Molly Ringwald turned down Vivian Ward in Pretty Woma

Molly Ringwald turned down the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman.

Julia Roberts eventually played the character, and the film became one of the most famous romantic comedies of the 1990s. Ringwald later said she found something about the story uncomfortable at the time, while also saying Roberts was wonderful in the role.

The role helped turn Roberts into one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

7. Emma Watson almost played Mia in La La Land

Emma Watson was linked to the role of Mia in La La Land before Emma Stone took the part.

Scheduling and commitments around Beauty and the Beast were reported as part of why Watson did not end up in the film. Stone went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for the role. The Independent included Watson in its coverage of major Oscar-winning roles that almost went to different actors.

Stone’s performance helped make La La Land one of the biggest movie-musical moments of the 2010s.

8. Anne Hathaway almost starred in Silver Linings Playbook

Anne Hathaway was originally attached to Silver Linings Playbook.

She later left the project, and Jennifer Lawrence took the role of Tiffany Maxwell. Lawrence won the Academy Award for Best Actress, and the role became one of her defining performances. SlashFilm included Hathaway among actors connected to Oscar-winning roles that eventually went elsewhere.

The final pairing of Lawrence and Bradley Cooper became a major part of the film’s success.

9. Michelle Pfeiffer passed on Clarice Starling

Michelle Pfeiffer was offered the role of Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs.

She passed because the material felt too dark. Jodie Foster took the part and won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film also became one of the rare titles to win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Foster’s determined, intelligent performance made Clarice one of the most respected heroines in thriller cinema.

10. Gene Hackman almost played Hannibal Lecter

Gene Hackman was once attached to The Silence of the Lambs before leaving the project.

Anthony Hopkins eventually played Hannibal Lecter and won the Academy Award for Best Actor. His performance became one of the most famous villain portrayals in film history, even though Lecter appears for a surprisingly limited amount of screen time.

This is one of the strongest examples of a major role changing hands before becoming iconic.

11. John Travolta turned down Forrest Gump

John Travolta reportedly turned down the title role in Forrest Gump.

Tom Hanks took the part and won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The movie also won Best Picture and became one of the most quoted films of the 1990s. WatchMojo includes Travolta among actors who turned down Oscar-winning roles.

Travolta still had a major career comeback that same year with Pulp Fiction, but Forrest Gump remains one of Hollywood’s biggest casting “what ifs.”

12. Bette Midler turned down Annie Wilkes in Misery

Bette Midler reportedly turned down the role of Annie Wilkes in Misery.

Kathy Bates took the role and won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Annie Wilkes became one of the most unforgettable characters in horror-thriller history. Midler is among of those actors connected to Oscar-winning roles that went to someone else.

Bates’ performance was so strong that it is now difficult to imagine anyone else in the part.

13. Mel Gibson passed on Maximus in Gladiator

Mel Gibson reportedly passed on the role of Maximus in Gladiator.

Russell Crowe played the character and won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film also won Best Picture and became one of the biggest historical epics of the early 2000s. People notes that Gladiator won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.

Crowe’s performance gave the film its emotional weight and turned Maximus into a modern cinema icon.

14. Liam Neeson almost played Abraham Lincoln

Liam Neeson was attached for years to play Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln.

He later stepped away, and Daniel Day-Lewis took the role. Day-Lewis won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, delivering one of the most praised portrayals of a U.S. president on screen.

Neeson has said that after years of development, he felt he was no longer right for the part.

15. Dougray Scott almost played Wolverine

Dougray Scott was originally cast as Wolverine in X-Men.

He had to leave the role because of scheduling issues connected to Mission: Impossible 2. Hugh Jackman replaced him, and Wolverine became the role that made Jackman a global star. Jackman’s version of Wolverine became one of the longest-running superhero performances in film history.

16. Emily Blunt almost played Black Widow

Emily Blunt was set to play Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

She had to drop out because of a scheduling conflict with Gulliver’s Travels. Scarlett Johansson took the role, starting with Iron Man 2, and became one of the central figures of the MCU’s first decade. People includes Blunt among actors who almost played iconic roles.

Johansson’s Black Widow later became important across The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Endgame, and her solo film.

17. Joaquin Phoenix almost played Doctor Strange

Joaquin Phoenix was in talks to play Doctor Strange before Benedict Cumberbatch took the role.

Phoenix later explained that some franchise commitments did not feel like the right fit for him. Cumberbatch eventually became the MCU’s Stephen Strange, appearing in Doctor Strange, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Marie Claire included Phoenix among stars who nearly landed major roles but did not end up playing them.

This is a good example of a role going to the actor who fit the long-term franchise structure.

18. Leonardo DiCaprio almost played Anakin Skywalker

Leonardo DiCaprio was considered for Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Hayden Christensen eventually took the role in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. DiCaprio later said he met with George Lucas but did not feel ready to take on the role at that time.

Christensen’s Anakin became a major part of modern Star Wars history, especially as fan opinion around the prequels shifted over time.

19. Robin Williams almost played Hagrid

Robin Williams reportedly wanted to appear in the Harry Potter films and was interested in Hagrid.

The role went to Robbie Coltrane, partly because the films focused on British and Irish casting for major roles. Coltrane’s Hagrid became one of the most beloved characters in the series.

Williams would have brought a very different energy to the character, but Coltrane’s warmth made Hagrid feel unforgettable.

20. Nicolas Cage almost played Superman

Nicolas Cage was attached to play Superman in Tim Burton’s planned film Superman Lives.

The project never moved forward, but test footage and behind-the-scenes stories made it one of Hollywood’s most famous abandoned superhero movies. Cage later appeared as a version of Superman in The Flash, making the long-running casting story even more interesting for fans.

21. Tom Cruise almost played Iron Man

Before Robert Downey Jr. became Tony Stark, Tom Cruise was long linked to the idea of playing Iron Man.

The project took years to develop before Marvel Studios finally made Iron Man with Downey in 2008. Downey’s performance became the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Cruise was linked to the role during earlier development, but Downey became the definitive version once Marvel’s film moved forward.

22. Matthew McConaughey almost played Star-Lord

Matthew McConaughey was reportedly considered for Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Chris Pratt eventually landed the role, turning Peter Quill into one of Marvel’s most popular comedic heroes. Pratt’s mix of humor, vulnerability, and action energy helped define the tone of the Guardians films.

This entry works best if framed as “was considered for” rather than “turned down.”

23. Tim Roth almost played Severus Snape

Tim Roth was originally considered for Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films.

He chose to work on Planet of the Apes instead, and Alan Rickman took the part. Rickman’s slow delivery, mystery, and emotional restraint made Snape one of the most discussed characters in the series.

For many fans, Rickman’s performance became the final version of the character.

24. Christina Applegate turned down Elle Woods

Christina Applegate has said she turned down the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.

Reese Witherspoon took the part, and Elle Woods became one of the most loved comedy characters of the 2000s. Applegate later explained that she was worried about repeating a similar type of character after Married… with Children.

Witherspoon’s performance turned the role into a pop-culture symbol of confidence, intelligence, and underestimated ambition.

25. Gwyneth Paltrow almost played Rose in Titanic

Gwyneth Paltrow was among the actresses considered for Rose in Titanic.

Kate Winslet ultimately played the role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, and the film became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Winslet’s Rose became one of the most recognizable romantic-drama characters of the 1990s.