What if…?
You won’t believe who almost replaced Harrison Ford in Star Wars!
Image: GR Stocks
Some movie characters have become so iconic that it’s hard to picture anyone else in the role. But the truth is, many of these parts almost went to completely different actors. Can you imagine Al Pacino as Han Solo? It nearly happened! In this article, we’ll explore that story and nine other cases where famous characters almost end up with a different face.
1
Han Solo- Al Pacino
Image: Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Can you imagine the legendary Han Solo played by anyone other than Harrison Ford? Hard to picture, right? But it nearly happened: Al Pacino was actually offered the role. According to Pacino, he got the Star Wars script before it became a massive hit, but he "didn’t understand it" and decided to pass.
2
Jack Nicholson- Michael Corleone
Image: Larry Bessel, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
It’s true that the great Jack Nicholson had no shortage of incredible roles and performances. But did you know he almost played one of cinema’s most iconic gangsters, Michael Corleone? However, Nicholson felt that "an Italian-American character should be played by an Italian-American actor" and passed on the role, which ultimately went to the brilliant Al Pacino.
3
Pretty Woman- Molly Ringwald
Image: Panio Gianopoulos, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Pretty Woman (1990) is undeniably one of the iconic films of the ’90s, made unforgettable by the stellar performances of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. But did you know the role of Vivian almost went to someone else? Molly Ringwald, star of Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Breakfast Club (1985), was originally considered, but she turned it down because she didn’t feel comfortable with the role.
4
Jack from Titanic- Matthew McConaughey
Image: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Can you picture a young Matthew McConaughey as the lovely Jack in Titanic (1997)? Hard to imagine, right? But it almost happened! Although he was five years older than Leonardo DiCaprio, both auditioned for the role. McConaughey came close to landing it but ultimately lost out because he refused to drop his Southern accent.
5
Catwoman- Madonna
Image: chrisweger, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
When we think of Catwoman, Michelle Pfeiffer instantly comes to mind, as she gave us one of the most iconic portrayals of the character in Batman Returns (1992). But the role wasn’t always meant for Pfeiffer. That’s right! Catwoman almost went to the legendary Madonna. Believe it or not, the singer was originally offered the role but didn’t find it appealing at the time. Years later, she admitted she regretted passing it up.
6
Django- Will Smith
Image: Raph_PH, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
In 2012, Quentin Tarantino brought us Django Unchained , inspired by the 1966 Spaghetti Western classic Django . The film was a hit, with Jamie Foxx shining as the lead. But it could have looked very different, as another actor was originally offered the role: Will Smith. After reading the script, he passed, feeling that Django was overshadowed by other characters and that the story focused too much on vengeance.
7
Mrs. Smith- Gwen Stefani
Image: Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) isn’t just one of the sexiest films of recent years; it’s also where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met and fell in love. But we almost missed out on this iconic couple! Why? Well, besides Angelina, other actresses and artists were considered for the role. One of them was singer Gwen Stefani, who said she "almost got it" but chose to focus on her music career instead.
8
Neo- Will Smith
Image: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
We don’t know how many roles Will Smith has turned down over the years, but he appears twice on this list! This time, it’s the legendary Neo from The Matrix franchise. According to Smith, when they offered him the role, he had also been offered Captain James West in Wild Wild West (1999) and ultimately chose that one instead.
9
Captain America- John Krasinski
Image: Gabriel Hutchinson, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
John Krasinski won our hearts as the clever Jim in The Office . But did you know he nearly became a superhero? He was close to playing Captain America! Although he even auditioned, Krasinski later joked that when he saw Chris Hemsworth in his Thor costume, he realized the role and the movie weren’t quite for him.
10
Iron Man- Tom Cruise
Image: Gabriel Hutchinson Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Iron Man, the genius billionaire who uses his brains and wealth for good, is a Marvel icon we all know and love thanks to Robert Downey Jr.’s brilliant performance. But did you know we almost saw Tom Cruise dressed up as a superhero? That’s right! He was seriously considered for the role, though the way the project was pitched didn’t quite convince him.
