these stars were just inches away from
Oscar gold welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’ll be counting down our picks
for the top 10 actors and actresses who
turned down oscar-winning roles before
we begin we publish new videos every day
so be sure to subscribe for more great
content for this list we’re taking a
look at performers that walked away from
roles that would go on to win someone
else an Academy Award number 10
got el Garcia Bernal Dallas buyers club
wait
do you hear that this actor director has
maintained a respectable career most
notably winning a Golden Globe for
Mozart in the jungle he nearly reached
another level of Fame however upon being
offered the role of rayon in Dallas
buyers club I’ve been looking for you
lone Starr
there now seemed like the frontrunner to
play the trans woman who assists fellow
AIDS patient Ron Woodroof he apparently
had to back out of the film due to
family issues so the part went to method
actor Jared Leto are you ashamed of me
because I hadn’t realized that along
with co-star Matthew McConaughey Leto
would sweep almost every major award
show for his heartbreaking performance
building towards a Best Supporting Actor
Oscar at least Bernal has an aerial
award the Mexican equivalent to an
Academy Award number 9 Chevy Chase
American Beauty don’t sell yourself
short judge following a slew of
successful movies in the 1980s Chevy
Chase’s career took a nosedive with only
an occasional highlight here and there
things might have played out differently
if he had accepted the part of Lester
Burnham in American Beauty a 42 year old
man enduring a midlife crisis this
character spoke to a generation of
Americans fed up with middle-class
lifestyle well excuse me but some of us
still have blood pumping through our
veins while it could have given chase a
much-needed comeback he ultimately
rejected the role afraid that it would
damage his family-friendly image what
makes this so ironic as the chase rose
to superstardom with several r-rated
comedies that were far from wholesome
and when Santa squeezes his fat white
ass down that chimney tonight he’s gonna
find the jolliest bunch of assholes this
side of the nuthouse assuming the role
actor Kevin Spacey subsequently added a
second Oscar to his mantle
number eight angela bassett monsters
ball with her turn as tina turner in
what’s love got to do with it angela
bassett earned an Academy Award
nomination Bassett was in a position to
become the first african-american to win
Best Actress but she lost a Holly Hunter
for her work in the piano
several years later Bassett was
approached about playing Leticia
Musgrove in monsters ball she passed on
the part due to the screenplays sexual
content this paved the way for Halle
Berry to accept the role leading to a
historic oscar-winning performance my
name is Leticia Musgrove and me and Hank
is uh France number seven Liam Neeson
Lincoln power is when we have every
justification to kill and we don’t with
Steven Spielberg behind the camera Liam
Neeson delivered the performance of his
career as Oscar Schindler resulting in
an Oscar nomination almost two decades
after Schindler’s List the actor and
director were set to reunite for a
biographical drama about Abraham Lincoln
Neeson left the project however as he
felt too old to play America’s 16th
president the untimely death of his wife
also reportedly factored into his
decision before Neeson was even attached
to the rule Daniel day-lewis had been
Spielberg’s top choice I could write
shorter sermons but once I start I get
too lazy to stop although day-lewis
previously turned down the part he had a
change of heart after Neeson stepped
down in due course stay Lewis won a
record-breaking third Academy Award for
Best Actor I suppose it’s time to go
though I would rather stay number six
Paul Bettany The King’s Speech from
award show darlings like a beautiful
mind to blockbusters like The Avengers
Paul Bettany has played a variety of
memorable characters the English actor
missed out on the role of a lifetime
however when he walked away from the
King’s Speech I couldn’t say a single
word to him in reply screenwriter David
Seidler felt that Bettany was the ideal
candidate to play King George the sixth
Bettany wasn’t interested because he
felt overworked and wanted to spend more
time with his family
while Bettany regretted missing the
opportunity to collaborate with
films acclaimed cast and crew he doesn’t
regret standing by his loved ones his
choice
certainly worked in Colin Firth’s favour
as he would win an Oscar for playing the
stammering King by divine right of your
mouth I’m your king
number five Richard Gere Wall Street M
in 2012’s arbitrate Richard Gere played
a wealthy hedge-fund magnate that faces
serious jail time after getting a bit
too greedy
strangely enough gear almost played a
very similar character back in the late
80s director Oliver Stone had his eye on
him for the role of Gordon Gekko in Wall
Street’s greed for lack of a better word
is good gear proved his ability to play
an effective villain in looking for mr.
Goodbar he also demonstrated a knack for
playing slick charismatic men in
American Gigolo why did you pick well we
could definitely see him as Gekko gear
wasn’t sold on the part Michael Douglas
who already had an Oscar for producing
the stook on the role and won his first
acting Academy Award it’s a bad bargain
nobody games number four
Harrison Ford Syriana on solo I’m
captain in the Millennium Falcon between
Han Solo Indiana Jones and Rick Deckard
Harrison Ford has played some of the
most iconic characters in cinematic
history yet he’s only accumulated one
Oscar nomination for his work in witness
very the Hollywood legend probably could
have corrected his overdue status had he
accepted the role of Bob Barnes in
2005’s Syriana Ford turned down the part
because he didn’t feel strongly enough
about the truth of the material looking
back in retrospect Ford noted that he
likely made a mistake George Clooney who
had been experiencing a career
Renaissance ever since leaving ER went
on to play the operations officer and
earned an Academy Award for Best Actor
in a supporting role why am I being
investigated Fred number three Gene
Hackman the Silence of the Lambs
services Gene Hackman is one of the few
performers to win two Academy Awards for
acting but the Silence of the Lambs
could have been his ticket to the
elusive third Oscar at one point Hackman
was not only attached to direct this
thriller but also star as the villainous
dr. Hannibal Lecter Hackman reportedly
left the project because one of his
daughters wasn’t a fan of the source
material Jonathan Demme II took over the
directorial duties while Anthony Hopkins
landed the part of
I’ve had here things you tell me things
meanwhile Jodie Foster was cast as
Clarice Starling after Michelle Pfeiffer
rejected the role the film won big on
Oscar night receiving accolades for Best
Picture Best Director Best Actor and
Best Actress no number to Emma Watson
lalala it’s funny how things work out
sometimes Emma Watson was lined up to
play Mia and Damien Chazelle slalom and
but she withdrew in order to play Belle
in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast remake
coincidentally Ryan Gosling decided
against playing the beast so he could
star as Sebastian in Loveland
as for Gosling’s screen partner that
role eventually went to Emma Stone
although stone won the Best Actress
Oscar for her stunning performances Mia
it’s hard to say that Watson made a bad
career move
after all Beauty and the Beast did make
over a billion dollars becoming the
biggest live-action musical ever so we
guess both Emma’s are winners
[Music]
before we get to our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions I said I’m tired
are you gonna walk me home or what if
they see me they see my father’s fault
too and I will have poetry in my life no
he’s changing my problem is this the
only thing I ever felt good doing if I’m
too old for this then I got nothing
number one John Travolta Forrest Gump
now if you excuse me I’m gonna go home
and have a heart death John Travolta
delivered the ultimate comeback
performance with his portrayal of
Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp
Fiction he scored an Oscar nomination
for Best Actor in the process but
incidentally lost to a role he turned
down Travolta was initially the top
choice to play the titular protagonist
in Forrest Gump when he declined the
part however Tom Hanks stepped into
forests leg braces and won his second
Academy Award in a row no but as David
Ozma’s life is like a box of chocolates
you never know what you’re gonna get
in Travolta’s case he didn’t get an
Oscar but he did get a Royale with
cheese $5.00 milkshake and a big screen
career revival we had do you agree with
our picks check out these other great
clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for
new videos every day
you
Oscar gold welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’ll be counting down our picks
for the top 10 actors and actresses who
turned down oscar-winning roles before
we begin we publish new videos every day
so be sure to subscribe for more great
content for this list we’re taking a
look at performers that walked away from
roles that would go on to win someone
else an Academy Award number 10
got el Garcia Bernal Dallas buyers club
wait
do you hear that this actor director has
maintained a respectable career most
notably winning a Golden Globe for
Mozart in the jungle he nearly reached
another level of Fame however upon being
offered the role of rayon in Dallas
buyers club I’ve been looking for you
lone Starr
there now seemed like the frontrunner to
play the trans woman who assists fellow
AIDS patient Ron Woodroof he apparently
had to back out of the film due to
family issues so the part went to method
actor Jared Leto are you ashamed of me
because I hadn’t realized that along
with co-star Matthew McConaughey Leto
would sweep almost every major award
show for his heartbreaking performance
building towards a Best Supporting Actor
Oscar at least Bernal has an aerial
award the Mexican equivalent to an
Academy Award number 9 Chevy Chase
American Beauty don’t sell yourself
short judge following a slew of
successful movies in the 1980s Chevy
Chase’s career took a nosedive with only
an occasional highlight here and there
things might have played out differently
if he had accepted the part of Lester
Burnham in American Beauty a 42 year old
man enduring a midlife crisis this
character spoke to a generation of
Americans fed up with middle-class
lifestyle well excuse me but some of us
still have blood pumping through our
veins while it could have given chase a
much-needed comeback he ultimately
rejected the role afraid that it would
damage his family-friendly image what
makes this so ironic as the chase rose
to superstardom with several r-rated
comedies that were far from wholesome
and when Santa squeezes his fat white
ass down that chimney tonight he’s gonna
find the jolliest bunch of assholes this
side of the nuthouse assuming the role
actor Kevin Spacey subsequently added a
second Oscar to his mantle
number eight angela bassett monsters
ball with her turn as tina turner in
what’s love got to do with it angela
bassett earned an Academy Award
nomination Bassett was in a position to
become the first african-american to win
Best Actress but she lost a Holly Hunter
for her work in the piano
several years later Bassett was
approached about playing Leticia
Musgrove in monsters ball she passed on
the part due to the screenplays sexual
content this paved the way for Halle
Berry to accept the role leading to a
historic oscar-winning performance my
name is Leticia Musgrove and me and Hank
is uh France number seven Liam Neeson
Lincoln power is when we have every
justification to kill and we don’t with
Steven Spielberg behind the camera Liam
Neeson delivered the performance of his
career as Oscar Schindler resulting in
an Oscar nomination almost two decades
after Schindler’s List the actor and
director were set to reunite for a
biographical drama about Abraham Lincoln
Neeson left the project however as he
felt too old to play America’s 16th
president the untimely death of his wife
also reportedly factored into his
decision before Neeson was even attached
to the rule Daniel day-lewis had been
Spielberg’s top choice I could write
shorter sermons but once I start I get
too lazy to stop although day-lewis
previously turned down the part he had a
change of heart after Neeson stepped
down in due course stay Lewis won a
record-breaking third Academy Award for
Best Actor I suppose it’s time to go
though I would rather stay number six
Paul Bettany The King’s Speech from
award show darlings like a beautiful
mind to blockbusters like The Avengers
Paul Bettany has played a variety of
memorable characters the English actor
missed out on the role of a lifetime
however when he walked away from the
King’s Speech I couldn’t say a single
word to him in reply screenwriter David
Seidler felt that Bettany was the ideal
candidate to play King George the sixth
Bettany wasn’t interested because he
felt overworked and wanted to spend more
time with his family
while Bettany regretted missing the
opportunity to collaborate with
films acclaimed cast and crew he doesn’t
regret standing by his loved ones his
choice
certainly worked in Colin Firth’s favour
as he would win an Oscar for playing the
stammering King by divine right of your
mouth I’m your king
number five Richard Gere Wall Street M
in 2012’s arbitrate Richard Gere played
a wealthy hedge-fund magnate that faces
serious jail time after getting a bit
too greedy
strangely enough gear almost played a
very similar character back in the late
80s director Oliver Stone had his eye on
him for the role of Gordon Gekko in Wall
Street’s greed for lack of a better word
is good gear proved his ability to play
an effective villain in looking for mr.
Goodbar he also demonstrated a knack for
playing slick charismatic men in
American Gigolo why did you pick well we
could definitely see him as Gekko gear
wasn’t sold on the part Michael Douglas
who already had an Oscar for producing
the stook on the role and won his first
acting Academy Award it’s a bad bargain
nobody games number four
Harrison Ford Syriana on solo I’m
captain in the Millennium Falcon between
Han Solo Indiana Jones and Rick Deckard
Harrison Ford has played some of the
most iconic characters in cinematic
history yet he’s only accumulated one
Oscar nomination for his work in witness
very the Hollywood legend probably could
have corrected his overdue status had he
accepted the role of Bob Barnes in
2005’s Syriana Ford turned down the part
because he didn’t feel strongly enough
about the truth of the material looking
back in retrospect Ford noted that he
likely made a mistake George Clooney who
had been experiencing a career
Renaissance ever since leaving ER went
on to play the operations officer and
earned an Academy Award for Best Actor
in a supporting role why am I being
investigated Fred number three Gene
Hackman the Silence of the Lambs
services Gene Hackman is one of the few
performers to win two Academy Awards for
acting but the Silence of the Lambs
could have been his ticket to the
elusive third Oscar at one point Hackman
was not only attached to direct this
thriller but also star as the villainous
dr. Hannibal Lecter Hackman reportedly
left the project because one of his
daughters wasn’t a fan of the source
material Jonathan Demme II took over the
directorial duties while Anthony Hopkins
landed the part of
I’ve had here things you tell me things
meanwhile Jodie Foster was cast as
Clarice Starling after Michelle Pfeiffer
rejected the role the film won big on
Oscar night receiving accolades for Best
Picture Best Director Best Actor and
Best Actress no number to Emma Watson
lalala it’s funny how things work out
sometimes Emma Watson was lined up to
play Mia and Damien Chazelle slalom and
but she withdrew in order to play Belle
in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast remake
coincidentally Ryan Gosling decided
against playing the beast so he could
star as Sebastian in Loveland
as for Gosling’s screen partner that
role eventually went to Emma Stone
although stone won the Best Actress
Oscar for her stunning performances Mia
it’s hard to say that Watson made a bad
career move
after all Beauty and the Beast did make
over a billion dollars becoming the
biggest live-action musical ever so we
guess both Emma’s are winners
[Music]
before we get to our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions I said I’m tired
are you gonna walk me home or what if
they see me they see my father’s fault
too and I will have poetry in my life no
he’s changing my problem is this the
only thing I ever felt good doing if I’m
too old for this then I got nothing
number one John Travolta Forrest Gump
now if you excuse me I’m gonna go home
and have a heart death John Travolta
delivered the ultimate comeback
performance with his portrayal of
Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp
Fiction he scored an Oscar nomination
for Best Actor in the process but
incidentally lost to a role he turned
down Travolta was initially the top
choice to play the titular protagonist
in Forrest Gump when he declined the
part however Tom Hanks stepped into
forests leg braces and won his second
Academy Award in a row no but as David
Ozma’s life is like a box of chocolates
you never know what you’re gonna get
in Travolta’s case he didn’t get an
Oscar but he did get a Royale with
cheese $5.00 milkshake and a big screen
career revival we had do you agree with
our picks check out these other great
clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for
new videos every day
you
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