1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: All right, you know the Robert Frost poem The Road 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Not Taken. It's about decision making, right, Well, sometimes we're 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: happy with the choice we made, and sometimes not so much. 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: Recently we talked about movies actors regretted making, but backstory 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: listener Terry Michelle was interested in actors who'd turned down 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: roles and really regretted doing so. Imagine taking a pass 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: on Titanic, The Matrix, Forrest Gump, or Silence of the Lambs. 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: I'm Patty Steele when the Road or Roll Not Taken 9 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: was a really crummy choice. That's next on the backstory. 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:42,599 Speaker 1: The backstory is back when we're trying to figure out 11 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: a path forward in our lives or careers, it's easy 12 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: to second guess yourself, right, did I make the correct choice? 13 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: What would have happened if I took the other fork 14 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: in the road? But rarely is it as crystal clear 15 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: as it has been for some actors who've been offered 16 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: a role said no thanks, and then watch the filmmaker, 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: as well as the actor who did take the part, 18 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: go on to make something not only hugely successful but 19 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: even iconic. It doesn't necessarily destroy careers, but it sure 20 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: can give your self confidence of bruising. Titanic is one 21 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: of the most successful movies of all time, winning eleven 22 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 1: Academy Awards, including Best Picture, taking in over two point 23 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: two billion dollars just at the box office. So how 24 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: do you look at the possibilities and then turn down 25 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: a starring role in a flick like that? Gwyneth Paltrow 26 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: apparently said no to Rose. She does say I can't 27 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: change the past, but I look back at the choices 28 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: I've made, and I think, the hell did I say 29 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: yes to that and no to that? I guess there's 30 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: a universal lesson here, and she's not the only one 31 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: who said no thanks. Claire Danes was also one of 32 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: the top choices for Rose, but ultimately turned it down 33 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: because she had just starred in nineteen ninety seven's Romeo 34 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: and Juliet with Leo DiCaprio and didn't want to repeat. 35 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: But who the heck remembers Romeo and Juliet, says Claire. 36 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: I was really clear about it. I wasn't conflicted. I 37 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: wanted different creative experiences and that would have propelled me 38 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: towards something I knew I didn't have the resources to 39 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 1: cope with okay. When it comes to the role of Jack. 40 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: Johnny Depp said no, thanks because he just didn't like 41 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: the story. On the other hand, Matthew McConaughey thought sure, 42 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,119 Speaker 1: he had aced the audition and he wanted the role 43 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: of Jack, and while he never would have turned it down, 44 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:38,079 Speaker 1: it finally went to Leo DiCaprio. Another star who turned 45 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: down a role in Titanic Hugh Grant. He was offered 46 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: the part of cal Rose's Piece of Garbage fiance. He 47 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 1: said no to it. It went to Billy Zane. Sometimes 48 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: actors turned down a role because they feel the message 49 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: of the movie isn't something they can get on board with. 50 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: Perfect example Michelle Pfeiffer, who was offered the part of 51 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs, which of course 52 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: finally went to Jodi Foster. Michelle says she turned it 53 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 1: down because she was uncomfortable with the film's violence against women, 54 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: but she says she does wish she could have worked 55 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: with the director, Jonathan Demi. Another one of the things 56 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: actors worry about when choosing what films to do is typecasting. 57 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 1: If I play an action hero, will movie studios think 58 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: that's the only thing I'm good for if I play 59 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: a villain, while I only get offered bad guy roles. 60 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: Christina Applegate was offered the role of el Woods illegally 61 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: Blonde before Reese Witherspoon got it. She says, I turned 62 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: it down because I got scared of kind of repeating 63 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 1: myself what a stupid move that was. Right, At least 64 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: she's honest. Will Smith was really worried about being typecast 65 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: and decided to turn down the part of Neo and 66 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: the Matrix, which ultimately went to Keanu Reeves, and he 67 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: said he didn't think it was going to be successful 68 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: because of the pitch. He said it was really confusing, 69 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: admits that was a bad decision. And here's one that's 70 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: sort of hard to imagine. John Travolta was offered the 71 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: role of Forrest Gump before it was finally given to 72 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: Tom Hanks. Instead, he opted to do another incredibly successful 73 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: movie that same year, pulp Fiction. Travolta says it was 74 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: a mistake to pass on Forrest, but he says doing 75 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: pulp fiction was fun and rewarding, and he loves what 76 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: Tom Hanks did with the Forest role. None of this 77 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: is unusual. In fact, Travolta himself also turned down the 78 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: role of American Jigglow, which became a huge flick for 79 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: Richard gear and Tom Hanks may have played Forrest Gump, 80 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: but he turned down the lead in Jerry Maguire. Then 81 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 1: there's The Godfather. Jack Nicholson turned down the role of 82 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 1: Michael Corleone. Why. He says he thought the roles should 83 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: have been played by an Italian and it did go 84 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 1: to al Pacino. When Tim Burton was brought on to 85 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 1: direct Batman in the late nineteen eighties, they wanted John 86 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: Lithgow to play the joker. He told him no thanks, 87 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: later saying that at the time he thought, who the 88 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: heck is gonna want to see a movie about Batman? 89 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 1: Jack Nicholson got the part, and of course the rest 90 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: is history. Another misfire Bruce Willis, who was married to 91 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: Me Moore when she made Ghost. He was offered the 92 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: lead role in that film. A few years later, he 93 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: told The New York Times he was a knucklehead for 94 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: turning it down. He said, I just didn't get it. 95 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: I told him, Hey, the guy's dead. How are you 96 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: going to have a romance with a dead guy? Famous 97 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: last words huh. And can you imagine anybody playing Hans 98 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: Solo in Star Wars other than Harrison Ford. That part 99 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: was originally offered to al Pacino. He turned it down, 100 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: he says, because he found the script to be confusing. Really, 101 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: the decision about who the studios offered parts to has 102 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: a lot to do with getting us, the fans, to 103 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: simply put our eyes on the finished product. They like names. 104 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: At the same time, the actors worry about the artistic challenge, 105 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: their reputation and whether they believe in the vision. And 106 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, they all worry about money. 107 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: Gotta make it to keep doing your thing. The award, 108 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: by the way, for the biggest financial mistake from turning 109 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: down a flick that has to go to Matt Damon. 110 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: He was offered ten percent of the gross profit for 111 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: playing Jake Sully in Avatar. He turned it down, but 112 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: he would have earned as much as two hundred and 113 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: fifty million dollars if he had taken the deal. Hey, 114 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: we all come to forks in the road. In fact, 115 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: it happens to most of us many times. And yes, 116 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: the path we choose can make all the difference, for 117 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: better or for worse. But it's interesting to look at 118 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: all these films and imagine them with these alternate actors. 119 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: And here's the thing you got to ask, would any 120 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: of those films have been as successful with different stars? 121 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: I mean, just imagine Titanic's Jack and Rose played by 122 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: Matthew McConaughey and Gwyneth Paltrow. Once again, I want to 123 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: thank Backstory listener Terry Michelle for suggesting this storyline. I 124 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: hope you're enjoying the Backstory with Patty Steele. Please leave 125 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: a review and follow or subscribe for free to get 126 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: new episodes delivered automatically. Also feel free to dm me 127 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: if you have a story you'd like me to cover. 128 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: Like Terry Michelle. On Facebook, It's Patty Steele and on 129 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: Instagram Real Patty Steele. I'm Patty Steele. The Backstories a 130 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis Durand Group, and 131 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser. Our writer 132 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: Jay Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. 133 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: Feel free to reach out to me with comments and 134 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: even story suggestions. On Instagram at Real Patty Steele and 135 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening to the 136 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: Backstory with Patty Steele. The pieces of history you didn't 137 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: know you needed to know.