This article is all about actors who turned down movie roles. Please note that these actors didn't know the movies were going to be big at the time they were offered the roles. Some of them had an idea the movies were going to be huge, and didn't want to be typecast for the role they would have played in the movies for the rest of their lives, but most didn't know the movies were going to be big. I guess there is a reason for everything, cos most of the movie roles this actors turned down were taken by people who did justice to the roles.
Below are 6 actors who turned down big movie roles. People now use actor as a general term to refer to male and female individuals who act...so, don't get confused when you see a female name below.
1. Angela Basset (Leticia in Monsters Ball- 2001)
She turned down the role to play the character of Leticia in Monsters Ball. She said it was too black stereotype and she couldn't imagine herself playing a role that was close to being a prostitute on screen. Hallie Berry didn't mind playing the ex-rated sex scene, and she took up the role. That got Hallie her one and only Oscar award.
2. Will Smith (Neo in Matrix- 1999)
Well, I have to say thank God Will Smith turned down this role. I am a fan of his, but Keanu Reeves was born to play Neo in Matrix...I can't even imagine how the movie would have been with Will Smith playing that part. Can you?
3. John Travolta (Lead Role in Splash- 1984)
Well, I think Travolta would have still been good for this movie. He was doing his lover-boy thing back in the 80s, so he would have fit in just right for this movie.
4. John Travolta (Forest Gump in Forest Gump- 1994)
Do John Travolta and Tom Hanks look alike? Hmm! I guess a little, when they were younger. I am trying to understand why they kept getting picked for same roles in movies. Anyway, once again, good thing John Travolta turned down the role. It was like Tom Hanks was made for that role. And yea, it got him his second Oscar award.
