It’s pretty common for Hollywood directors to cast big names for their movies. Famous celebrities with big fanbases equal more audiences at the theaters. Some of the biggest movie stars now have been turned down for million-dollar roles in the past. Can you believe that Christian Bale and Christopher Plummer are among the actors who “weren't famous enough” for their roles?
Here are 8 actors who “weren't famous enough” for their roles. Scroll down and find out if your favorite celeb is on the list!
1. Christian Bale
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Originally, Christian Bale got turned down for the lead role in American Psycho. Studio Lionsgate wanted to cast Leonardo DiCaprio because he was much more famous than Bale back then. However, DiCaprio just finished Titanic and didn’t want to involve in something so violent so soon, so he refused the part. The original writer/director made the right choice by calling Bale back; the rest is history.
2. Nicole Kidman
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Nicole Kidman wanted the role of Anna Scott in the 1999 film Notting Hill so badly, but the casting director turned her down because she wasn’t as popular enough or "talented enough" (in her words). We really don’t know why they turn her down. She has been in the industry for 16 years and starred in big films such as Batman Forever and Practical Magic at that time. How much more fame do you want!?
3. Charlize Theron
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The Showgirls director thought Charlize Theron wasn't “well-known enough at the time” to be cast as the lead. Elizabeth Berkley, best known for Saved by the Bell, got the role instead. Berkley's career tanked because of the film, while Theron became a major star and won her first Oscar. So Theron probably just dodged a bullet.
4. Jim Carrey
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Jim Carrey was originally a choice for the part of Buzz Lightyear in the 1995 movie Toy Story. However, scriptwriter Joss Whedon revealed that
Disney rejected him because he wasn't well-known enough. Jim Carrey became famous after Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber, and The Mask, which sadly had not yet been released at the time of casting.
5. Christopher Plummer
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Christopher Plummer wasn’t renowned enough for All the Money in the World. He was famous, but not as big as Kevin Spacey at that time. The part originally went to Spacey, but he had to face sexual assault allegations during the movie's shooting. The studio replaced him with Plummer. The actor shot his scenes in nine days and received an Oscar nomination for his fantastic performance.
6. Mark Ruffalo
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Mark Ruffalo could have been Hulk much sooner in the solo movie The Incredible Hulk. However,
Marvel thought he wasn’t popular enough, so they went with Edward Norton. If director Louis Leterrier hadn’t listened to Marvel, we probably could have a better version of the Hulk then.
7. Gal Gadot
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Before Wonder Woman,
Gal Gadot lost many roles because she was never considered famous enough for a lot of big movies. She auditioned for Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road but got rejected. The role went to Charlize Theron instead. "They always need someone...It was always me and the big names," Gadot said.
8. Carey Mulligan
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Apparently, Carey Mulligan was told in 2010 that she wasn't well-known enough to make a cameo on Glee. She acted in movies like The Greatest and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps at that time, so we don’t understand why she got turned down. This occurred in Season 2 of Glee, which featured celebrity guests including Britney Spears, Katie Couric, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Those are some actors who “weren't famous enough” for their parts. These actors also lost their chances to play iconic characters on the silver screen, but it’s because they have some pretty terrible auditions. Check out their embarrassing stories
here!