Charlie Hunnam and other movie roles that might have been
The film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey has brought yet more controversy to the scandalous series, with unknowns and A-listers battling it out to play the leads.
Brit Charlie Hunnam famously dropped out of the role of Christian Grey after scheduling clashes with Sons of Anarchy, leaving model Jamie Dornan to step in. As the face of Dior Homme, Dornan certainly looks the part and he’s already clocked up some acting credits, appearing in various TV shows including thriller The Fall. This isn’t the first time someone has turned down a high profile role for the second choice to nail it – check out these actors who rejected the chance to play iconic characters.
Molly Ringwald – Vivian, Pretty Woman
Glossy hair, winning smile, early twenties – Molly Ringwald and Julia Roberts both had similar appeal and several films behind them when casting came around for Pretty Woman. When Ringwald turned down the role it went to Roberts, whose career sky-rocketed thanks to her heartfelt performance, while the first choice went on to star in several French films and television movies.
Will Smith – Neo, The Matrix
Having risen to fame in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Smith has gone on to have one of the most successful film careers in history. He’s even become a style icon, with the current 90s revival bringing back those trademark baggy t-shirts and chunky Nike Air Max trainers. However, there have been a few slip-ups along the way: his least popular film is probably 1999’s Wild Wild West, for which he turned down the role of Neo in that year’s smash hit movie The Matrix.
Al Pacino – Han Solo, Star Wars
Some actors’ performances are so iconic that it’s hard to imagine another actor playing the part. Harrison Ford has had a few such roles, including the classic anti-hero Han Solo. However, it was nearly Al Pacino at the helm of the Millennium Falcon: the actor was offered the part but apparently ‘didn’t understand’ the Star Wars script!
Jack Nicholson – Michael Corleone, The Godfather
Speaking of Al Pacino, his most famous role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather was originally offered to several other actors, including Jack Nicholson. No doubt Nicholson would have brought the same gravitas to the role, although it’s impossible to picture anybody but Pacino as Michael.
Sandra Bullock – Maggie Fitzgerald, Million Dollar Baby
2004 saw Hilary Swank scoop her second Oscar for her performance as Maggie Fitzgerald in Million Dollar Baby, so it’s perhaps surprising to learn that the role originally went to Sandra Bullock. The Miss Congeniality actress had shown a strong interest in the part and signed on to play the lead, but ultimately her commitment to Miss Congeniality 2 clashed with filming and the part went to Swank.
Tom Cruise – Tony Stark, Iron Man
The line between Robert Downey Jr and Tony Stark is a blurred one, as the star’s charismatic tendencies resemble those of the superhero. However, another diminutive Hollywood star was previously up for the role: Tom Cruise had been in discussions to play the Stark Industries’ CEO, but disagreements over the actor’s demands led to the decision to cast Downey Jr in his now iconic role as Iron Man.
Kira Browdy
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