Actors Who Got Paid for Movies They Weren’t In

Hollywood contracts can be strange.

Sometimes an actor signs on, shoots scenes, gets replaced, or has their work removed before release. Other times, a movie collapses before cameras fully roll, but the contract still pays.

This list focuses on public, documented examples where actors were paid, reportedly paid, or contractually compensated even though they did not appear in the final movie, barely appeared, or were replaced.

Johnny Depp — Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Johnny Depp is one of the most famous modern examples.

He was originally set to return as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, but Warner Bros. asked him to resign. Mads Mikkelsen replaced him in the final film.

Nicolas Cage — Superman Lives

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

The movie never happened, but Cage has long been reported as receiving a large payout because of his contract. It remains one of Hollywood’s most famous “paid for a movie that never got made” stories.

Eric Stoltz — Back to the Future

Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future.

After several weeks of filming, director Robert Zemeckis and producer Steven Spielberg decided Stoltz’s performance did not match the comedy tone they wanted. Michael J. Fox replaced him, and the movie became a classic.

Melora Hardin — Back to the Future

Melora Hardin was cast as Jennifer Parker opposite Eric Stoltz.

When Stoltz was replaced by Michael J. Fox, Hardin also lost the role because producers felt the height difference would not work visually. Claudia Wells eventually played Jennifer in the released film.

Samantha Morton — Her

Samantha Morton originally voiced the operating system in Spike Jonze’s Her.

She worked on the film during production, but after editing began, Jonze decided the character needed a different direction. Scarlett Johansson replaced her voice in post-production.

Marlon Brando — Superman II

Marlon Brando shot material as Jor-El that was intended for Superman II.

Because of financial and legal disputes, his footage was not used in the original theatrical version. The film replaced much of Jor-El’s role with Superman’s mother, Lara. His scenes later appeared in Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.

Crispin Glover — Back to the Future Part II

Crispin Glover did not return as George McFly in Back to the Future Part II.

The sequel used a different actor, Jeffrey Weissman, with makeup and reused elements that led to a legal dispute. Glover sued Universal over the use of his likeness, and the case became important in Hollywood right-of-publicity discussions.

James Remar — Aliens

James Remar was originally cast as Corporal Hicks in Aliens.

He was replaced by Michael Biehn after production began. Some background shots reportedly still include Remar, but Biehn plays Hicks in the completed film.

Stuart Townsend — The Lord of the Rings

Stuart Townsend was originally cast as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings.

He spent time preparing for the role before the filmmakers decided he was too young for the part. Viggo Mortensen replaced him shortly before filming began.

Harvey Keitel — Apocalypse Now

Harvey Keitel was first cast as Captain Willard in Apocalypse Now.

Francis Ford Coppola replaced him with Martin Sheen early in production after deciding Keitel was not right for the role. The finished film became one of the defining war movies of the 1970s.

Ryan Gosling — The Lovely Bones

Ryan Gosling was originally cast as Jack Salmon in The Lovely Bones.

He gained weight for the role, but director Peter Jackson later replaced him with Mark Wahlberg because of a creative mismatch over the character. Gosling did not appear in the final film.

Kevin Spacey — All the Money in the World

Kevin Spacey originally played J. Paul Getty in All the Money in the World.

After allegations against him became public, director Ridley Scott reshot the role with Christopher Plummer. Spacey’s performance was removed from the released film.

Chris D’Elia — Army of the Dead

Chris D’Elia originally filmed a role in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead.

After allegations against him surfaced, his role was replaced with Tig Notaro. Notaro’s scenes were shot separately and digitally inserted into the movie.

Ana de Armas — Yesterday

Ana de Armas filmed scenes for Yesterday, but her part was cut from the final movie.

Her absence later became part of a legal dispute after fans said they rented the film expecting to see her because she appeared in the trailer. The case drew attention to the difference between marketing material and the finished film.

Paul Rudd — Bridesmaids

Paul Rudd filmed a cameo for Bridesmaids.

His scene, involving a disastrous date with Kristen Wiig’s character, was cut from the final film. The movie worked without it, but the deleted role became a popular behind-the-scenes detail.

Featured Image : Photo by CarlaVanWagoner on Shutterstock