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10 A-List Actors Who Rejected Iconic Roles

No excuses for turning down these masterpieces

Headshot of Nick PopeBy Nick Pope
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Sought-after actors (probably) have entire rooms dedicated towards their to-read script stacks - so it's understandable that they might accidentally overlook a few stormers through sheer exhaustion.

But there's no excuses for passing over the greatest films and TV shows of all-time, like these accident-prone A-listers...

WILL SMITH - NEO (THE MATRIX)

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Year: 1999


Instead starred in: Wild Wild West (17% Rotten Tomatoes score)


Replaced by: Keanu Reeves

HUGH JACKMAN - JAMES BOND (CASINO ROYALE)

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Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

Year: 2006


Instead starred in: The Prestige (76% RT)


Replaced by: Daniel Craig

JACK NICHOLSON - VINCENT CORLEONE (THE GODFATHER)

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Bear Grylls//Digital Spy

Year: 1972


Instead starred in: The King of Marvin Gardens (71%)


Replaced by: Al Pacino

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TOM CRUISE - REN MCORMACK (FOOTLOOSE)

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Year: 1984


Instead starred in: Legend (48% RT)


Replaced by: Kevin Bacon

JOHN TRAVOLTA - FORREST (FORREST GUMP)

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Year: 1994


Instead starred in: Pulp Fiction (94% RT)


Replaced by: Tom Hanks

MATTHEW BRODERICK - WALTER WHITE (BREAKING BAD)

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Year: 2008


Instead starred in: Diminished Capacity (35% RT)


Replaced by: Bryan Cranston

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JOHNNY DEPP - FERRIS (FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF)

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Year: 1986


Instead starred in: Platoon (88% RT)


Replaced by: Matthew Broderick

JIM CARREY - EDWARD (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS)

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Year: 1990


Instead starred in: High Strung (No review)


Replaced by: Johnny Depp

PAMELA ANDERSON - SCULLY (X-FILES)

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Year: 1998


Instead starred in: V.I.P (No review)


Replaced by: Gillian Anderson

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Year: 1993


Instead starred in: The Fugitive (96% RT)


Replaced by: Liam Neeson

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