The director of Showgirls, Paul Verhoeven revealed that the role of Nomi Malone, made famous by Elizabeth Berkley, almost went to Charlize Theron.
This made us wonder about the other incredible near-misses in Hollywood casting history. What sort of world would we live in if Taylor Momsen had been Hannah Montana instead of Miley? Or Angelina Jolie played Cher instead of Alicia Silverstone?
Words: Radhika Seth
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
1
Unknown//Getty Images
Before her breakthrough playing Nomi Malone in Showgirls, Elizabeth Berkley was best known for her role on the 90s sitcom Saved by the Bell.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
2
Unknown//Getty Images
But the part almost went to Charlize Theron. Director Paul Verhoeven revealed that she lost the role for not being well known enough.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
3
Unknown//Getty Images
Could anyone else have played Cher, the lovable airhead with a conscience, better than Alicia Silverstone? As if!
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4
Unknown//Getty Images
But Clueless would have been entirely different if the part had gone to Angelina Jolie. Casting director Carrie Frazier viewed her audition tape but felt she was 'too knowing' for the part of Cher.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
5
Unknown//Getty Images
The role of Captain Jack Sparrow was made iconic by Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, prompting five sequels, a Disneyland ride and hundreds of imitators every Halloween.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
6
Unknown//Getty Images
But Disney's first choice for the role was Jim Carrey. He was given the part, but due to a scheduling conflict with the film Bruce Almighty, he was forced to back out.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7
Unknown//Getty Images
Kristen Stewart was catapulted to superstardom after playing Bella Swan, the troubled teen who falls in love with a vampire, in the Twilight series.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
8
Unknown//Getty Images
But the part almost went to Jennifer Lawrence. She has since expressed her relief at losing the part. 'I remember when the first movie came out, seeing Kristen Stewart on the red carpet and getting papped wherever she went,' she said. 'It turned into this whole other thing."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
9
Unknown//Getty Images
Tom Hanks won his second Oscar for playing Forrest Gump, but who almost snagged the part?
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10
Unknown//Getty Images
John Travolta was offered the part first, but turned it down. He later admitted he had made a huge mistake.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
11
Unknown//Getty Images
Before she became a twerking, Wrecking-Ball-riding pop icon, Miley Cyrus was a Disney child star who shot to fame playing Hannah Montana.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
12
Unknown//Getty Images
But Taylor Momsen reached the last round of casting, and almost stole the part from Miley. Back then she was just the cute little kid from The Grinch. Her big break came a year later, when she was cast as Jenny Humphrey in Gossip Girl.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13
Unknown//Getty Images
Writer-turned-psychopath Jack Torrance was a role made iconic by Jack Nicholson's incredible performance in The Shining, but he wasn't Stanley Kubrick's first choice.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
14
Unknown//Getty Images
Kubrick was in fact deciding between Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro for the part. Can you imagine Mrs Doubtfire saying 'Here's Johnny'? Neither can we.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
15
Unknown//Getty Images
Regina George was played to icy perfection by Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls, but someone got close to stabbing her in the back for the part.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16
Unknown//Getty Images
It nearly went to Lindsay Lohan. 'I was still 17 years old and I wanted to be the cool girl on set,' she confessed. McAdams had originally auditioned for Cady, but admitted that she secretly wanted to play Regina.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
17
Unknown//Getty Images
Reese Witherspoon is still perhaps best known for playing perky sorority-sister-turned-lawyer Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
18
Unknown//Getty Images
But Charlize Theron was the first choice for the part, and turned it down.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19
Unknown//Getty Images
Can you imagine anyone other than Uma Thurman on the Pulp Fiction poster? The cult classic could have had a very different female lead.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
20
Unknown//Getty Images
Jennifer Aniston only narrowly missed out on the role of Mia Wallace. A few months later, she was cast in a new TV show called Friends.