9 Times Movie Stars Turned Down Oscar-Winning Roles That Mean Missing Out On A Lot Of Glories

The Academy Awards is unarguably the most prestigious and sought-after award in the cinema industry. Winning one at least is a goal of every actor. To make it come true, actors have to carefully select the scripts that will advance their careers and highlight their acting skills. Therefore, actors always take the advantage of all their chances to get Oscar-winning roles and shine on screen.
However, when a golden opportunity knocks at their door, they unintentionally reject it. It often is because of their conflicting schedules or work commitments. But sometimes, certain characters or scripts can be off-putting to some, whether that be for religious reasons, political values, or something else.
We’ve rounded up 9 times actors walked away from their roles and ended up receiving the prestigious golden statuette. You can see more here, here, and here.

#1 Julia Roberts

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The role of Viola de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love, which took the best Picture in the Academy Award in 1998, earned Gwyneth Paltrow an Oscar for Best Actress. The role was first given to Julia Roberts but she turned it down. It was rumored that the actress was one contract away from starring in the film when she found out that Daniel Day-Lewis rejected the role. So, she decided to pull out.

#2 Harrison Ford

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Harrison Ford declined a chance to star in the thriller Syriana, later commenting that "I didn't feel strongly enough about the truth of the material and I think I made a mistake”. Eventually, the role went to George Clooney, who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance.

#3 Gregory Peck

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To avoid typecasting, Gregory Peck passed on the offer to star in “High Noon”. Finally, Gary Cooper got the role and took home an Oscar for Best Actor. Gregory later said, "I don't think I would have been as good as Gary Cooper but I still think it would have been a good film with me in it."

#4 Gwyneth Paltrow

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Gwyneth Paltrow almost landed on the role of Gerda in “The Danish Girl” but she changed her mind at the last minute. The actress didn’t want to spend much time away from her kids so she walked away from the role. She was replaced by Alicia who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

#5 Anne Hathaway

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Jennifer Lawrence who won her first Oscar for Best Actress for playing Tiffany Maxwell in “Silver Linings Playbook” was the first choice. Film executive Harvey Weinstein revealed that Anne Hathaway was slated for the lead female role. Before starting shooting, Anne had some “creative differences” and they couldn’t be resolved. For this reason, she left the project.

#6 Paul Bettany

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The portrayal of George Vi in “The King’s Speech” was not originally intended for Colin Firth, who won Best Actor in this film, it belonged to Paul Bettany. Screenwriter David Seidler believed Paul Bettany was perfect for the role but he declined the role because he didn’t want to be separated from his family for a long time.

#7 John Travolta

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John Travolta admitted that turning the role of Forrest Gump was a huge mistake Nonetheless, Tom Hanks won an Oscar for Best Actor for his work.

#8 Richard Gere

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Director Oliver Stone's first choice for the role of Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street” was Richard Gere but he wasn’t interested in the role so it went to Michael Douglas. The actor made a great impression, winning an Oscar for his performance though before that the director didn't want Michael Douglas playing the part after rumors of his lack of acting abilities went around Hollywood.

#9 Mel Gibson

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Mel Gibson initially took on the role of Maximus Decimus Meridius in “Gladiator”. The actor felt he was too old for the role of "swords and sandals stuff," so he rejected it. Russell Crowe went on to win Best Actor at the Oscars for his role.