When it comes to iconic roles in Hollywood, Kate Winslet’s portrayal of Rose in the 1997 film Titanic is often praised as a standout performance. However, it may come as a surprise to learn that the role almost went to another talented actress, Claire Danes. Danes revealed that she was offered the lead role in Titanic but she decided to turn it down due to her fear of what would come after such a massive movie.
Claire Danes Was Not Ready To Accept The Kate Winslet’s Iconic Role In Titanic
Claire Danes, talking about turning down the iconic role in Titanic, shared that after just finishing a romantic epic with Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet, she didn’t feel prepared to take on another such project as even the shooting locations of these two films were the same.
“But honestly, I’d just made this romantic epic with Leo in Mexico City [Romeo + Juliet], which is where they were going to shoot Titanic, and I just didn’t have it in me.
The Homeland star added that at that time she and DiCaprio shared the same manager and both felt conflicted about accepting the roles that could potentially change their lives. Danes, reflecting back, shared that she completely understood the This Boy’s Life star’s side to take up the role but stated that she really was not ready for it and couldn’t bring herself to make the same choice.
“And I could see he wasn’t sure, but he was like, ‘F*ck it, I gotta do this thing.’ And I looked down on him, going, I totally understand why you are doing it. And I’m not ready for that. And I think I really wasn’t ready for it.”
Claire Danes Has Zero Regrets For Turning Down Titanic
Claire Danes however made it clear that she has no regrets for turning down the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater in Titanic as her doubts concerning the immense fame after the project came out to be true, as she witnessed the rise of Leonardo DiCaprio to immense fame. Attending the premiere of DiCaprio’s subsequent film, The Man in the Iron Mask, she witnessed the overwhelming attention he received from the crowd, which made her realize that she too would have been subjected to the same level of scary fame if only she accepted the role.
“I remember after that movie came out and he just went into another stratosphere. I went to the premiere of The Man in the Iron Mask [DiCaprio’s first release after Titanic], and when he walked into the room the floor fell in his direction. Everybody in the room went toward him. It was a little scary. I think I may have sensed I was courting that. And I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t want it. Zero regret. I was just really clear about it. I wasn’t conflicted. I wasn’t.”
Claire Danes may not have regrets for tuning down the iconic role but her decision reflects her desire to maintain a safe distance from immense fame, which the Shopgirl star founds to be scary. The role eventually went to Kate Winslet who stunned the audience with her remarkable performance, adding to the timeless legacy of the film.
Source: Armchair Expert
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