13 Movie Roles Worth A Thousand Pieces of Gold That Actors Initially Wanted to Decline

We always hear stories about the plight of working actors and how finding a good job is difficult, but what we don't always realize is that there are a lot of actors who turned down roles throughout their careers. Such as really, really starring roles.
It's absolutely mind-blowing that Dana Delaney would have been a better choice for the role of Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City, or that Sarah Michelle Gellar came so close to landing the role of Amber in Clueless. The movie roles worth thousands of gold might be found here. 
Similarly, big Hollywood stars such as Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, and Denzel Washington have passed up major roles throughout their careers, with some later expressing regret.
However, circumstances can make them reconsider their choices. And, as it often happens, these roles end up being one of the best in these actors' filmographies. We took a look back at the roles that actors and actresses were initially uninterested in, but which they eventually accepted.

13 Movie Roles Worth A Thousand Pieces of Gold That Actors Initially Wanted to Decline

#1 Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Source: © Black Panther: Wakanda Forever / Marvel Studios and co-producers

Angela Bassett said "no" after reading the script for the Black Panther sequel. The actress was upset that her character, Queen Ramonda, would end up dying. She even argued with the director about it. He did, however, explain his choice to her and persuade her to join the project. Now, the actress hopes that her character will be revived in future Marvel films, as is common in the Marvel universe.

#2 Austin Butler, Elvis

Source: © Elvis / Warner Bros. and co-producers

For Austin Butler, who played Elvis, the movie was more of a torture than a joyous experience. Buz Luhrmann, the film's director, was to blame. He'd frequently make the young actor cry.
Luhrmann wanted the actor to feel all of the singer's hardships, so he asked Butler's colleagues to interrupt him while he was recording the songs for the film. Austin stated that dealing with that treatment was difficult. But it was well worth it. His performance was outstanding.

#3 Brad Pitt, Troy

Source: © Troy / Warner Bros. and co-producers

The role of Achilles in "Troy" was a nightmare for Brad Pitt. However, the actor had to agree to the project to fulfill the terms of his contract at the time. His working mood was clearly affected, and he stated several times after the film that he wasn't satisfied with what he saw on the screen.

#4 Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy

Source: © Guardians of the Galaxy / Marvel Studios and co-producers

Who is going to watch a movie in which the main character is continuously conversing with a raccoon? It was a popular question during the production of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Director James Gunn thought Chris Pratt would be a great fit for the role, but he refused to even audition for it.
The actor eventually changed his mind, but the director refused to work with him this time. Finally, both were persuaded, and the first rehearsals proved that the star was an excellent choice for the role.

#5 Daniel Craig, Skyfall

Source: © Skyfall / MGM and co-producers

As you may know, Daniel Craig will no longer play James Bond. Craig will appear in the final Bond film, No Time to Die, in 2021. However, the actor had previously expressed a desire to retire from the role of James Bond. He didn't want to be in Skyfall and only agreed to work on it because he was contractually obligated to. Skyfall, on the other hand, is now regarded as the most popular James Bond film by both audiences and critics.

#6 Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire

Source: © Slumdog Millionaire / Celador Films and co-producers

Dev Patel stated in one interview that he did not expect Slumdog Millionaire to be such a huge success. The young actor didn't think it was particularly noteworthy. He considered it a small project with a big heart. If someone had told him at the time that the film would win a Golden Globe and an Oscar, he would have burst out laughing.
Well, the studio didn't have high hopes for Slumdog Millionaire. They weren't sure who would be interested in the story. Despite the odds, directors Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan created a masterpiece that launched Patel to stardom.

#7 Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada

Source: © The Devil Wears Prada / Fox 2000 Pictures and co-producers

David Frankel, the director of The Devil Wears Prada, auditioned over 100 actresses for the role of Miranda Priestly's assistant, but none of them were suitable for the role. Emily Blunt was obsessed with Eragon at the time and couldn't think of any other projects. However, Frankel's casting agent recognized her potential and had her read a few lines for The Devil Wears Prada.
She didn't seem like the right fit at first. It wasn’t about her reluctance to play the role; the character was an American, and Blunt has a British accent. However, the director hired her anyway, and it became one of Blunt's most popular roles.

#8 Leonardo DiCaprio, Titanic

Leonardo Dicaprio Titanic hair

Source: © Titanic / Twentieth Century Fox and co-producers

Leonardo probably agreed to appear in Titanic solely for Kate Winslet. Legends surround their friendship. When DiCaprio was 20, he had no idea that the role of Jack Dawson in James Cameron's film would be one of the best of his career. Following his roles in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Romeo + Juliet, he became extremely popular.
He didn't want to be the pretty boy with blue eyes. However, the filmmakers were able to persuade him to join the project. And Kate Winslet was a huge help. She also said that she admired his acting ability and did everything she could to persuade him to accept the role.

#9 Matt Smith, House of the Dragon

Source: © House of the Dragon / HBO and co-producers

Consider this: Matt Smith, who played Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, believed that the project had no future and would fail. In the Westeros universe, the actor had no idea how anyone could make a good sequel. He declined the position because he thought it was too difficult.
But the showrunners persisted and persuaded him. The series was a huge success, and Smith became even more famous as a result.

#10 Michael J Fox, Back to the Future

Source: © Back to the Future / Universal Pictures and co-producers

For four years in a row, director Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale were turned down by all film studios as they sought funding for Back to the Future. But their perseverance paid off, and they were permitted to write their time-traveling story. They chose Michael J. Fox for the lead role, and it was yet another dead end in their path.
The young actor, best known for his role in Family Ties, was interested in a different project. So Zemeckis and Gale had to fight once more to make their dream project a reality. They struck a deal with the film studio and got Fox to appear in the film. Finally, the famous time-travel epic was released in 1985.

#11 Robert Pattinson, Batman

Source: © The Batman / Warner Bros. and co-producers

While several generations of boys saw Bruce Wayne as their role model, Robert Pattinson knew very little about him. Unlike Christian Bale, who devoured all Batman comics and films before appearing in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, Robert was less enthusiastic. Nonetheless, he agreed to take the role, which turned out to be one of the best of his career.

#12 Val Kilmer, Top Gun

Source: © Top Gun / Paramount Pictures and co-producers

Val Kilmer rose to fame in the 1986 film Top Gun. But it almost didn't happen because the actor kept declining the role. The agent and director persuaded him to play the character who would go on to become the film's iconic villain.

#13 Zoe Saldaña, Avatar

Source: © Avatar / Twentieth Century Fox and co-producers

The future film was described as a CGI nightmare. When Zoe Saldaa read the script, she was terrified by the story. But she took a chance, and it paid off.
The actress would devote several days (and nights!) to horseback riding, martial arts, and archery. According to Zoe, it was the most difficult role she had ever played.