At any given moment in the history of the box office industry, the greatest roster of actors can be found in the transitory decades merging the 20th and the 21st century. Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep are two of the foremost names that take up the topmost spots in that coveted collection of talent wielders.
However, despite their impressive filmography, there lies an even longer list of roles and projects that were turned down for lacking potential only to later witness the films exceeding impossible expectations at the box office. But an even rarer set list comprises projects that the actors were rejected for as they failed to fit the director’s vision.
Meryl Streep Fails To Impress Ridley Scott For Iconic Role
Despite her electrifying career and eclectic collection of movie roles, Meryl Streep was yet to earn the iconic status that she holds today back in the early ’90s. And as such, the actress, despite incredible potential missed out on one of the greatest Ridley Scott films of the 90s era. The bold, brash, adventurous, and groundbreaking road movie that unleashed unprecedented controversy at the time of its release – Thelma & Louise – did nothing to disappoint and everything to supersede expectations. But it would not be Streep in the role of the docile Thelma or the outgoing Louise in this feminist drama.
According to Becky Aickman’s revelation in the book, Off the Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn were so intent on securing the leading roles in the film that “they didn’t have their agents make the call; they did it themselves.” Despite their vested interest, it was Geena Davis who went on to secure the role of Thelma for which she received an Academy Award nomination in the Best Actress category.
The film did however launch Brad Pitt’s career in the industry due to his part as the drifter, J.D. – which turned out to be one of the actor’s first and biggest supporting roles in Hollywood.
Director’s Vision Saves Hollywood Projects From Damnation
Seldom do directors happen to find actors or heroines who are so perfect for a specific role in a film or a show that they become blind to everything else in the vicinity. There exist reports of Cameron Crowe weeping when Brad Pitt decided to quit Almost Famous while fans balked at the idea of the lanky Aussie rom-com actor, Heath Ledger taking on the role of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Similar backlash was also welcomed after the casting announcements of Robert Pattinson (The Batman), Daniel Craig (the 007 franchise), and Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) but fortunately, the directors saw the potential in each of these leading men to do the impossible: defy audience expectation.
The director’s vision also worked in favor of films like American Psycho – the tale of the casting process surrounding this particular movie is worthy of being made into a film of its own. However, every once in a while, directors stand firm against Hollywood A-listers, no matter how famous or talented they may be, in order to realize their vision despite every well-meaning person telling them otherwise. Producer Rob Reiner revealed how no amount of money or creative liberty could convince Frank Darabont to cast Tom Cruise in his directorial debut film, The Shawshank Redemption. The list goes on.
Source: Off the Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge
