It’s so fun to imagine what could have been! In the following article, we look at celebrities who auditioned for iconic movie roles, but, ultimately, missed out on the gig (much to their disappointment). Sometimes, certain things just aren’t meant to be…
Kurt Russell as Han Solo in Star Wars
We all know Han Solo is portrayed by Harrison Ford, but the iconic role nearly went to Kurt Russell.
In 2017, Kurt Russell revealed he was actually one of the finalists for the famous role, saying, “I was actually in the final running, but I needed to give an answer to ABC to do a Western show. I asked George [Lucas], ‘Do you think you’re going to use me?’ He said, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to put you with him, or him, or those two guys.’ […] I gotta go to work, so I do the Western.”
The original role of Han Solo went to Ford, but, luckily, Russell’s audition tape is still floating around the internet.
Jennifer Lawrence as Bella Swan in Twilight
Jennifer Lawrence would have been Bella Swan in the Twilight saga in an alternate universe, instead of Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games trilogy. Speaking to Howard Stern in 2018, she revealed that, when she auditioned for the first film, she “didn’t really know what it was.”
When Stern asked Lawrence if she was upset she missed out on the role, she said she has no hard feelings about it. According to Lawrence, the only role she was “truly devastated” to not get was Alice in Tim Burton‘s 2010 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. The role of Alice wound up going to actress Mia Wasikowska, who the actor agreed was “perfect and amazing” for the part.
Matthew McConaughey as Jack Dawson in Titanic
While we can’t imagine anyone other than Leonardo DiCaprio playing the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997), actor Matthew McConaughey thought he had a good shot at landing the role.
During a 2019 interview with Andy Cohen, McConaughey revealed he’d auditioned with Kate Winslet for the role of Jack and left thinking it had gone “really well.” According to the actor, it went so great that he thought he’d landed the part. Obviously, he was never offered the role, but McConaughey and DiCaprio would go on to work together on 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street.
Robin Williams as Remus Lupin in Harry Potter
As Harry Potter fans and Robin Williams fans, this one shocked us.
Chris Columbus revealed to Total Film that the comedian had his heart set on playing Remus Lupin. Williams wasn’t considered for the role because one of the franchise’s early rules was not to cast American actors, to maintain a certain degree of authenticity. Columbus explains, “I had a conversation with Robin Williams, who wanted to play Lupin. It was very difficult for me to say, ‘It’s all British. There’s nothing I can do.'”
The role eventually went to actor David Thewlis.
Meryl Streep in King Kong
Who could ever imagine turning down iconic actress Meryl Streep? During a 2015 episode of The Graham Norton Show (2007-present), the actor recalled a terrible audition experience she had for 1976’s King Kong, directed by Dino De Laurentiis.
According to Streep, De Laurentiis’s son had seen her in a play and decided to bring her in to audition for the movie’s female role. However, when she got there, De Laurentiis, Sr. said to his son, “Che brutta,” which, in Italian, means, “Why do you bring me this ugly thing?” Streep, who understood and spoke Italian, then responded, “I’m sorry I’m not beautiful enough to be in King Kong.”
Eventually, the part of the girl (Dwan) in King Kong went to actress Jessica Lange.
Robert De Niro as Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone in The Godfather
Despite winning an Academy Award for his role as Vito Corleone in the 1974 film, The Godfather: Part II, Robert De Niro initially auditioned for the role of Sonny Corleone in the first Godfather movie.
The role of Corleone wound up going to actor James Caan. Luckily, director Francis Ford Coppola liked De Niro’s audition so much that he still landed a role in the sequel.
Britney Spears as Allie Calhoun in The Notebook
Superstar Britney Spears was one of many who auditioned for the role of Allie Hamilton in the 2004 film, The Notebook. In 2005, Ryan Gosling told Entertainment Tonight that Spears had wanted the role, saying she “was really good. […] She did a really nice job. […] She did an excellent job, actually.”
Spears wasn’t the only superstar to audition for the role, either. Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Biel and Jessica Simpson were all also considered to play Hamilton before the part eventually went to Rachel McAdams.
Tom Hanks as Alan Parrish in Jumanji
The 1990s turned out some really great films, including Jumanji (1995), which famously starred Robin Williams as a man trapped inside a board game. It might shock some fans to learn that he wasn’t actually the first choice for the role of Alan Parrish!
Director Joe Johnston initially had someone else in mind: Tom Hanks. However, “America’s dad” turned the role down to appear in Apollo 13 (1995), instead. It was for the best, as both movies ended up being huge hits.
Mindy Kaling as Lillian Donovan in Bridesmaids
The only way Bridesmaids (2011) could have potentially been funnier is by having Mindy Kaling play the role of Lillian Donovan. In 2014, Kaling revealed that “no one ever calls me in to audition for things because I’m so specific. Actually, you know what it was – Bridesmaids, which I loved. They called me in for Maya Rudolph’s part, and I practiced it so much and I was so into it, and I love that whole cast. That one was a heartbreaker.”
The role ultimately went to Saturday Night Live (1975-present) alum Maya Rudolph, who delivered an iconic performance.
Reese Witherspoon as Cher in Clueless
Ugh, as if! As it turns out, Reese Witherspoon auditioned for Cher in the 1995 movie, Clueless. In a BuzzFeed video, the actor recalled auditioning “so hard for Clueless, and I didn’t get it.”
Kerry Washington, who Reese was interviewing with, also revealed she’d auditioned for Clueless and didn’t get the part.
More from us: Crazy Scenes From Historical Movies That Really Happened
Want articles by The Vintage News delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!
Director Amy Heckerling later revealed to Vanity Fair that she “met with Reese Witherspoon because everyone said, ‘This girl’s amazing. She’s going to be huge.’ I saw some movie where she had a southern accent. Maybe it was on TV, a movie of the week. But I did see some scenes of her and went: Wow. She’s amazing. But Alicia [Silverstone] is Cher.'”