Top 10 Actors Who Turned Down Roles Worth Millions

Peter Jackson offered Connery 15% of the Lord of the Rings trilogy's box office gross to play Gandalf. Connery turned it down saying he "didn't understand the material." The trilogy grossed $2.99 billion — meaning Connery left approximately $450 million on the table. Ian McKellen took the role and became the definitive Gandalf for an entire generation. Connery retired from acting in 2003, citing frustration with the industry. One wonders if passing on half a billion dollars contributed to that frustration.

James Cameron offered Damon 10% of Avatar's profits to star as Jake Sully. Damon turned it down because he was committed to the Bourne franchise. Avatar grossed $2.9 billion — making Damon's rejected share worth over $290 million. He's called it "the most money any actor has ever turned down." Sam Worthington took the role and became... well, Sam Worthington. The fact that Damon could have earned more from one film than his entire career combined makes this the most financially painful "no" in cinema history.

Travolta was offered Forrest Gump before Tom Hanks. He turned it down. The film grossed $678 million, won six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Hanks, and became one of the most beloved American films ever made. Travolta has admitted in interviews it was a mistake. He instead starred in Pulp Fiction — which, to be fair, revived his career and earned him an Oscar nomination. But Gump made Hanks a $70 million payday and cemented him as America's Dad. Travolta got to dance with Uma Thurman. Different legacies.

Pacino was George Lucas's first choice for Han Solo in the original Star Wars. He passed because the script "confused" him. Harrison Ford took the role and it launched a career worth over $300 million, five Star Wars films, four Indiana Jones films, and cultural immortality. Pacino went on to make some of the greatest films ever (Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface, Heat, Scent of a Woman), so it's not like he suffered. But imagine Al Pacino saying "I know" to Princess Leia. The multiverse where that exists is a better place.

Blunt was cast as Black Widow in Iron Man 2 (2010) but had to drop out due to a contractual obligation to Fox for Gulliver's Travels — a film that bombed with $237 million against a $112 million budget. Scarlett Johansson replaced her and went on to earn an estimated $75 million from the MCU across 10 films, including a solo Black Widow movie. Blunt has said she was "contractually obligated" and clearly not happy about it. She's since built an incredible career (A Quiet Place, Oppenheimer), but the $75 million MCU ride that could have been hers haunts every "what if" list in Hollywood.

George Lucas personally met with DiCaprio to play Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels. DiCaprio said no because he "didn't feel ready." Hayden Christensen took the role — and became one of the most memed actors in cinema history ("I don't like sand"). DiCaprio instead did The Beach (a critical flop) and Gangs of New York. He's also reportedly turned down Spider-Man, Robin in Batman Forever, and Boogie Nights. DiCaprio's career turned out fine (six Oscar nominations, one win, $300M net worth), but an alternate-universe DiCaprio Anakin might have actually saved the prequels.

Ringwald was offered the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman before Julia Roberts. She turned it down. The film grossed $463 million worldwide and made Roberts the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, launching a career that has earned over $250 million. Ringwald was the biggest teen star of the 1980s (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink), but her transition to adult roles stalled precisely when this role could have redefined her. Roberts became America's Sweetheart. Ringwald became a cautionary tale about the difficulty of aging out of teen stardom.

Cameron Crowe wrote Jerry Maguire with Hanks in mind. Hanks passed because he'd just done two dramatic roles back-to-back (Philadelphia and Forrest Gump). Tom Cruise took the role and delivered "Show me the money!" — one of the most quoted lines in film history. The movie grossed $273 million and earned Cruise an Oscar nomination. Hanks has never publicly expressed regret, likely because he was busy winning consecutive Best Actor Oscars. But Crowe has said Hanks was always the first choice, and imagining Hanks screaming "SHOW ME THE MONEY" is genuinely delightful.

Francis Ford Coppola considered Nicholson for Michael Corleone in The Godfather before the studio pushed for and ultimately cast Al Pacino. Nicholson has said he felt the role should go to an Italian-American actor — a remarkably selfless take for 1970s Hollywood. The Godfather grossed $245 million (over $1.5 billion adjusted for inflation) and made Pacino a legend. Nicholson went on to win three Oscars anyway, so it's hard to call this a regret. But Nicholson as the quiet, calculating Michael Corleone? That's the greatest "what if" in film history, and both actors know it.

Peter Jackson offered Connery 15% of the Lord of the Rings trilogy's box office gross to play Gandalf. Connery turned it down saying he "didn't understand the material." The trilogy grossed $2.99 billion — meaning Connery left approximately $450 million on the table. Ian McKellen took the role and became the definitive Gandalf for an entire generation. Connery retired from acting in 2003, citing frustration with the industry. One wonders if passing on half a billion dollars contributed to that frustration.

James Cameron offered Damon 10% of Avatar's profits to star as Jake Sully. Damon turned it down because he was committed to the Bourne franchise. Avatar grossed $2.9 billion — making Damon's rejected share worth over $290 million. He's called it "the most money any actor has ever turned down." Sam Worthington took the role and became... well, Sam Worthington. The fact that Damon could have earned more from one film than his entire career combined makes this the most financially painful "no" in cinema history.

Travolta was offered Forrest Gump before Tom Hanks. He turned it down. The film grossed $678 million, won six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Hanks, and became one of the most beloved American films ever made. Travolta has admitted in interviews it was a mistake. He instead starred in Pulp Fiction — which, to be fair, revived his career and earned him an Oscar nomination. But Gump made Hanks a $70 million payday and cemented him as America's Dad. Travolta got to dance with Uma Thurman. Different legacies.

Pacino was George Lucas's first choice for Han Solo in the original Star Wars. He passed because the script "confused" him. Harrison Ford took the role and it launched a career worth over $300 million, five Star Wars films, four Indiana Jones films, and cultural immortality. Pacino went on to make some of the greatest films ever (Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface, Heat, Scent of a Woman), so it's not like he suffered. But imagine Al Pacino saying "I know" to Princess Leia. The multiverse where that exists is a better place.

Blunt was cast as Black Widow in Iron Man 2 (2010) but had to drop out due to a contractual obligation to Fox for Gulliver's Travels — a film that bombed with $237 million against a $112 million budget. Scarlett Johansson replaced her and went on to earn an estimated $75 million from the MCU across 10 films, including a solo Black Widow movie. Blunt has said she was "contractually obligated" and clearly not happy about it. She's since built an incredible career (A Quiet Place, Oppenheimer), but the $75 million MCU ride that could have been hers haunts every "what if" list in Hollywood.

George Lucas personally met with DiCaprio to play Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels. DiCaprio said no because he "didn't feel ready." Hayden Christensen took the role — and became one of the most memed actors in cinema history ("I don't like sand"). DiCaprio instead did The Beach (a critical flop) and Gangs of New York. He's also reportedly turned down Spider-Man, Robin in Batman Forever, and Boogie Nights. DiCaprio's career turned out fine (six Oscar nominations, one win, $300M net worth), but an alternate-universe DiCaprio Anakin might have actually saved the prequels.

Ringwald was offered the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman before Julia Roberts. She turned it down. The film grossed $463 million worldwide and made Roberts the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, launching a career that has earned over $250 million. Ringwald was the biggest teen star of the 1980s (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink), but her transition to adult roles stalled precisely when this role could have redefined her. Roberts became America's Sweetheart. Ringwald became a cautionary tale about the difficulty of aging out of teen stardom.

Cameron Crowe wrote Jerry Maguire with Hanks in mind. Hanks passed because he'd just done two dramatic roles back-to-back (Philadelphia and Forrest Gump). Tom Cruise took the role and delivered "Show me the money!" — one of the most quoted lines in film history. The movie grossed $273 million and earned Cruise an Oscar nomination. Hanks has never publicly expressed regret, likely because he was busy winning consecutive Best Actor Oscars. But Crowe has said Hanks was always the first choice, and imagining Hanks screaming "SHOW ME THE MONEY" is genuinely delightful.

Francis Ford Coppola considered Nicholson for Michael Corleone in The Godfather before the studio pushed for and ultimately cast Al Pacino. Nicholson has said he felt the role should go to an Italian-American actor — a remarkably selfless take for 1970s Hollywood. The Godfather grossed $245 million (over $1.5 billion adjusted for inflation) and made Pacino a legend. Nicholson went on to win three Oscars anyway, so it's hard to call this a regret. But Nicholson as the quiet, calculating Michael Corleone? That's the greatest "what if" in film history, and both actors know it.