Few movie characters are written from scratch—on the contrary, filmmakers often have an idea as to which actor they would want to work them. This could be for several reasons, including prior relationships, but mainly because actors have a recognizable flair that makes them suitable for specific characters. It's not exactly a typecasting scenario; it has more to do with directorial vision than anything else.

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There have been countless situations where the actor in question refused the role for whatever reason, be it prior conflicts, lack of interest, or simply not believing in the strengths of the movie. Interestingly, their acting replacements have, on occasion, surpassed expectations and portrayed the part far better than the original choice.

10 Claudette Colbert Could Have Been Margo Channing  — All About Eve (1950)

Bette Davis and Claudette Colbert

One of Bette Davis' greatest performances is Margo Channing—a gin-guzzling, chain-smoking, literal drama queen who converts the entirety of All About Eve into her personal character arc.

However, director Mankiewicz went through a roster of choices before landing on Bette Davis, like Susan Hayward, Ingrid Bergman, Barbara Stanwyck, Marlene Dietrich, and so on. Claudette Colbert, Hollywood's screwball superstar, accepted the role, although she was forced to drop out due to an injury. In any case, Bette Davis took Margo Channing above and beyond Mankiewicz's vision.

9 Mel Gibson Thought That Maximus Should Go To A Younger Actor — Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson

Maximus Decimus Meridius is the protagonist of Gladiator, played by the inimitable Russell Crowe to enormous acclaim. And yet, it seems that Mel Gibson was originally meant to be Maximus, but the actor refused the part because he thought that it should be performed by someone younger.

His decision makes sense, given that he was in his mid-forties at the time (Crowe being a decade younger) but it's unfortunate that Gibson declined to portray such a powerful character.

8 Emma Watson & Miles Teller Were The First Choices — La La Land (2016)

Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Emma Watson, Miles Teller

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone made La La Land their own, with several critics calling Stone "reason enough to see La La Land." A few comments about the weak choreography aside, there's no reason to believe that Miles Teller and Emma Watson could have improved the movie further.

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Teller's withdrawal was related to the negotiation process of his contract, while Watson chose Belle's character in the live-action Beauty and the Beast (2017) instead. Conversely, Ryan Gosling nearly played the Beast, so there's that.

7 Both Michelle Pfeiffer & Meg Ryan Refused Clarice Starling — The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

Meg Ryan, Michelle Pfeiffer and Clarice Starling

Director Jonathan Demme never wanted Jodie Foster to play Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs because apparently, she was "such a California person." He approached Michelle Pfeiffer and Meg Ryan, both of who dismissed the offer because of the morally ambiguous themes in The Silence of the Lambs.

On the other hand, Jodie Foster had been vying for the role since she read the book by Thomas Harris, ultimately winning an Academy Award for her incredible work.

6 John Lithgow Still Regrets Not Playing The Joker — Batman (1989)

Jack Nicholson and John Lithgow

Tim Burton's Batman turned out to be a massive draw at the box office, earning over ten times its production budget, all things considered. This success was partly due to Michael Keaton's Batman and Jack Nicholson's Joker, a combustible combination that worked, from audience to critics, on every level.

Of the several actors Burton considered, John Lithgow was the only one to actually try and convince the director into not selecting him as Batman's villain. The actor, to this day, regrets his decision.

5 Leonardo DiCaprio Rejected A Massive Salary — American Psycho (2000)

Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio

American Psycho director Mary Harron expected her lead star to be Christian Bale, an agreement made between the two of them prior to filming. However, Lionsgate wanted to cast either Leonardo DiCaprio or Edward Norton, asserting that Bale didn't command enough starpower.

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On the other hand, Harron presumed that DiCaprio's heavily romantic earlier roles would clash with the depraved personality of Patrick Bateman. DiCaprio demanded a whopping $21 million, but left the set anyway due to artistic differences. After a complicated series of events involving multiple directors and actors, the Harron-Bale combo returned and took control of American Psycho.

4 John Travolta Chose To Do Pulp Fiction — Forrest Gump (1994)

Tom Hanks and John Travolta

John Travolta's performances in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Blow Out (1978) proved the actor's incredibly versatile range, but it still wouldn't have felt right if he had played the titular character in Forrest Gump.

Travolta's characters, even the protagonists, have a coarse texture to them, one that may have been difficult to sand down to match Forrest's gentle sensibilities. Hanks is undoubtedly the best possible choice for the role, so perhaps it was for the best that Travolta turned it down in favor of Pulp Fiction (1994).

3 Gwyneth Paltrow & Many Others Didn't Want To Be Rose Dawson — Titanic (1997)

Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow

To have an exhilarating love story bob and weave in the backdrop of the largest passenger ship disaster in history was no simple feat for anyone involved in the making of Titanic. As such, casting the ideal Rose Dawson became a crucial task for director James Cameron, who initially preferred experienced actors: Winona Ryder, Reese Witherspoon, Claire Danes, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

None of them showed any interest, while Kate Winslet literally went on a crusade to persuade Cameron of her suitability for the part of Rose Dawson, eventually winning his confidence.

2 Jack Nicholson Wanted Michael Corleone To Be Played By An Italian Actor — The Godfather (1972)

Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson

Al Pacino's Michael Corleone is a central character in Francis Ford Coppola's seminal cinematic masterpiece, The Godfather. Before everything was set in contract stone, however, accomplished actors like Martin Sheen, James Caan, and Dustin Hoffman auditioned for the role.

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Director Francis Ford Coppola had his eyes set on Jack Nicholson, but the latter refused the part of Michael Corleone because he believed that "Italians should play Italians." Al Pacino went on to score multiple prestigious acting nominations for his performance.

1 Marilyn Monroe Passed On Holly Golightly To Maintain Her Image — Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)

Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe

Truman Capote, the author of Breakfast at Tiffany's, always expected his Holly Golightly to be played by Marilyn Monroe, considering that both actor and character share more than a few life experiences.

As such, it disappointed Capote when she refused the role to protect her image, allowing Audrey Hepburn to leap into the casting mix. Whether Monroe's Holly would have been any better than Hepburn's is irrelevant—Breakfast at Tiffany's would have been fantastic, regardless.

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