caution mind-boggling revelations ahead
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
iconic TV roles that were almost played
by other actors everything and I do
everything I do it to protect this
family
and if you’re curious to see which
actors had the gall to walk away from
shows like Game of Thrones why not check
out watch mojo UK’s list of the top ten
actors who turned down Game of Thrones
for this list we’re looking at
well-known small-screen roles that could
have ended up being very different have
they gone to other actors that’s their
solution why not open the hood and poke
around we’re excluding people who still
ended up with a main role on the show
like Courtney Cox who read for the part
of Rachel on friends before being cast
as Monica number 10 Hank Azaria as Joey
Tribbiani friends you can find something
as sophisticated as this it’s a little
hard to imagine anyone other than Matt
LeBlanc playing Joey the show’s lovable
goofball with a penchant for women and
sandwiches
however future friends alumni Hank
Azaria tried desperately to land the
part increased job satisfaction and
family togetherness a poison for a
purveyor of mind-numbing intoxicants
like myself the longtime Simpsons voice
actor once admitted that the role of
Joey Tribbiani was quote the only job I
ever auditioned for twice in regard to
LeBlanc season one performance Azaria
went on to say quote I could have been
funnier than him Azaria eventually
changed his opinion thank God and went
on to appear in five episodes of the
iconic sitcom as David a physicist that
Phoebe falls for were you planning on
that’s definitely a valid question and
the answer would be yes number nine
katherine heigl as Jen Lindley Dawson’s
Creek here goes
I’m pregnant Katherine Heigl known for
her work in the stoner comedy knocked up
as well as for her time on Grey’s
Anatomy nearly landed a role on another
super successful TV show years earlier
the role in question was that of Jen
Lindley on Dawson’s Creek one that
ultimately went to future Academy Award
nominee Michelle Williams hey guys
Jenna according to the show’s creator
Kevin Williamson he was very impressed
with Heigl saying quote she gave a great
audition I remember we were all sort of
like wow she’s good
despite this glowing review he decided
to go with Williams and the rest is
history
so come on live it up go out and have a
good time meet some new people
number eight Thomas Jane as don draper
Mad Men I’m living like there’s no
tomorrow because there isn’t one Mad Men
would not be Mad Men without Jon Hamm
plain and simple
his nuanced performance a 60s ad exec
Don Draper won in two Golden Globes and
cemented his legacy as one of the small
screens all-time greats and yet the role
was almost played by Thomas Jane the
punisher star actually turned down the
role which begs the question what was he
thinking this was not the only time Jane
brushed shoulders with an iconic role
only to keep on walking as he was Frank
Darabont’s first choice to play Rick
Grimes on the walking dead but when HBO
number 7 Connie Britton as Olivia Pope
scandal Connie Britton best known for
playing Tammy Taylor on Friday Night
Lights has appeared in dozens of films
and TV shows over the years and she came
pretty close to adding scandal to that
list back in 2012 she was one of ABC’s
first choices for the role of Olivia
Pope which was an issue for creator
Shonda Rhimes who’d written the part
with a black woman in mind the network
ultimately relented and Kerry Washington
was cast as Pope making her the first
black woman to land a leading role in a
television drama in over 30 years
excuse me number six Katie Holmes as
Buffy Summers
Buffy the Vampire Slayer I was just done
their day on the job
care to step up for some overtime Buffy
the Vampire Slayer could have looked a
whole lot different had a couple of
well-known actors said yes instead of no
Katie Holmes was offered the role of
Buffy Summers and Ryan Reynolds was
approached to play her friend Xander
both actors wound up passing opening the
door for Sarah Michelle Gellar and
Nicholas Brendon respectively
seeing as how Holmes and Reynolds both
went on to have successful careers in
the entertainment industry we doubt they
regret their decision as for Gellar and
Brendan well one could argue that Buffy
and Xander remained their best-known
roles boy you really thought this
through
number five Dana Delany as Carrie
Bradshaw Sex and the City I don’t have
to tell you this but I actually saw him
give someone a thumbs up Sex in the City
made waves for its groundbreaking
subject matter and plethora of unique
characters at the forefront was
protagonist Carrie Bradshaw who was
played to perfection by Sarah Jessica
Parker however it was Dana Delany and
not Parker who was offered first crack
at the role so why did Delaney pass on
the show that would later become a
cultural phenomenon sex it was because
of the sex in an interview with The
Daily Mail she said quote I didn’t want
to be in a show about sex the part went
to Sarah Jessica Parker and it made her
into a worldwide star but I’ve got no
regrets fair enough
I had just done so many movies about sex
I said to him I can’t tell the number
four
Matthew Broderick has Walter White
Breaking Bad my name is Walter Hartwell
white I live at 308 negra arroyo lane
albuquerque new mexico
now this one’s surprising to say the
least we have a hard time picturing
Matthew Broderick as Walter White
telling his wife I am the one who knocks
with any sort of believability I am the
one who knocks and yet it almost came to
fruition Broderick and John Cusack were
AMC’s first choices for the role of the
cancer suffering chemistry teacher who
turns to a life of crime in order to
support his family they were hesitant to
go with Bryan Cranston showrunner Vince
Gilligan’s initial choice but after
Gilligan showed them an episode of the
x-files in which Cranston played a
terminally ill aunt
Semite they gave in it’s truly scary to
think what might have been you’ve let
that sink in number three Rob Lowe as
Derek Shepherd Grey’s Anatomy I’m gonna
give you an incentive whoever finds the
answer rides with me unlike our previous
entry this one is considerably less
far-fetched
Rob Lowe was the first actor up for the
part of Derek Shepherd
also known as McDreamy a part that
ultimately went to Patrick Dempsey
according to Lowe he quote agreed to
meet with the people making Grey’s
Anatomy and he read the script feeling
that the writing was quote crisp real
and very entertaining in the end lo
passed in order to play get this another
doctor that’s right folks
Lowe accepted the role of dr. Billy
grant on the short-lived CBS series dr.
Vegas in contrast Grey’s Anatomy is
still going strong more than a decade
later
so lino number two matt LeBlanc as Phil
Dunphy Modern Family still just so much
good family time could you honestly
picture anyone other than Ty Burrell
playing Phil Dunphy the role has earned
him two Primetime Emmy Awards for
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a comedy
series and we feel confident saying that
Modern Family would not be the same
without him of course we wouldn’t be
discussing Burrell or his most iconic
character if another well-known actor
hadn’t almost landed the part before him
matt LeBlanc was offered the part of
Dunphy but turned it down didn’t I tell
you always showing off he said he felt
the script was great but that he would
quote be doing the project an injustice
if he accepted the role no that is the
kind of maturity that only comes from a
seasoned vet before we unveil our number
one pick here are some honorable
mentions our families I mean each other
from what Jamal’s told me I’m surprised
all you little lion cubs and we have did
you ever think we’d end up being
roommates not once I love this guy isn’t
it nice to be suddenly so highly
regarded
[Music]
number one Chris Rock is George Costanza
Seinfeld don’t me to go to hell and I
took the bus yes you heard that
correctly actor and comedian Chris Rock
was offered the role of George Costanza
Jerry’s neurotic socially awkward best
according to casting director Mark
Hirschfeld quote we saw every actor we
could possibly see in Los Angeles in the
hunt to find the perfect George Danny
DeVito and Nathan Lane were also
considered before Seinfeld and Larry
David settled on Jason Alexander this
was not the only character to have
almost been played by someone else as
Elaine was almost played by none other
than Rosie O’Donnell not that there’s
anything wrong with that nothing there’s
anything wrong with that do you agree
with our picks check out these other
great clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for new videos every day
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
iconic TV roles that were almost played
by other actors everything and I do
everything I do it to protect this
family
and if you’re curious to see which
actors had the gall to walk away from
shows like Game of Thrones why not check
out watch mojo UK’s list of the top ten
actors who turned down Game of Thrones
for this list we’re looking at
well-known small-screen roles that could
have ended up being very different have
they gone to other actors that’s their
solution why not open the hood and poke
around we’re excluding people who still
ended up with a main role on the show
like Courtney Cox who read for the part
of Rachel on friends before being cast
as Monica number 10 Hank Azaria as Joey
Tribbiani friends you can find something
as sophisticated as this it’s a little
hard to imagine anyone other than Matt
LeBlanc playing Joey the show’s lovable
goofball with a penchant for women and
sandwiches
however future friends alumni Hank
Azaria tried desperately to land the
part increased job satisfaction and
family togetherness a poison for a
purveyor of mind-numbing intoxicants
like myself the longtime Simpsons voice
actor once admitted that the role of
Joey Tribbiani was quote the only job I
ever auditioned for twice in regard to
LeBlanc season one performance Azaria
went on to say quote I could have been
funnier than him Azaria eventually
changed his opinion thank God and went
on to appear in five episodes of the
iconic sitcom as David a physicist that
Phoebe falls for were you planning on
that’s definitely a valid question and
the answer would be yes number nine
katherine heigl as Jen Lindley Dawson’s
Creek here goes
I’m pregnant Katherine Heigl known for
her work in the stoner comedy knocked up
as well as for her time on Grey’s
Anatomy nearly landed a role on another
super successful TV show years earlier
the role in question was that of Jen
Lindley on Dawson’s Creek one that
ultimately went to future Academy Award
nominee Michelle Williams hey guys
Jenna according to the show’s creator
Kevin Williamson he was very impressed
with Heigl saying quote she gave a great
audition I remember we were all sort of
like wow she’s good
despite this glowing review he decided
to go with Williams and the rest is
history
so come on live it up go out and have a
good time meet some new people
number eight Thomas Jane as don draper
Mad Men I’m living like there’s no
tomorrow because there isn’t one Mad Men
would not be Mad Men without Jon Hamm
plain and simple
his nuanced performance a 60s ad exec
Don Draper won in two Golden Globes and
cemented his legacy as one of the small
screens all-time greats and yet the role
was almost played by Thomas Jane the
punisher star actually turned down the
role which begs the question what was he
thinking this was not the only time Jane
brushed shoulders with an iconic role
only to keep on walking as he was Frank
Darabont’s first choice to play Rick
Grimes on the walking dead but when HBO
number 7 Connie Britton as Olivia Pope
scandal Connie Britton best known for
playing Tammy Taylor on Friday Night
Lights has appeared in dozens of films
and TV shows over the years and she came
pretty close to adding scandal to that
list back in 2012 she was one of ABC’s
first choices for the role of Olivia
Pope which was an issue for creator
Shonda Rhimes who’d written the part
with a black woman in mind the network
ultimately relented and Kerry Washington
was cast as Pope making her the first
black woman to land a leading role in a
television drama in over 30 years
excuse me number six Katie Holmes as
Buffy Summers
Buffy the Vampire Slayer I was just done
their day on the job
care to step up for some overtime Buffy
the Vampire Slayer could have looked a
whole lot different had a couple of
well-known actors said yes instead of no
Katie Holmes was offered the role of
Buffy Summers and Ryan Reynolds was
approached to play her friend Xander
both actors wound up passing opening the
door for Sarah Michelle Gellar and
Nicholas Brendon respectively
seeing as how Holmes and Reynolds both
went on to have successful careers in
the entertainment industry we doubt they
regret their decision as for Gellar and
Brendan well one could argue that Buffy
and Xander remained their best-known
roles boy you really thought this
through
number five Dana Delany as Carrie
Bradshaw Sex and the City I don’t have
to tell you this but I actually saw him
give someone a thumbs up Sex in the City
made waves for its groundbreaking
subject matter and plethora of unique
characters at the forefront was
protagonist Carrie Bradshaw who was
played to perfection by Sarah Jessica
Parker however it was Dana Delany and
not Parker who was offered first crack
at the role so why did Delaney pass on
the show that would later become a
cultural phenomenon sex it was because
of the sex in an interview with The
Daily Mail she said quote I didn’t want
to be in a show about sex the part went
to Sarah Jessica Parker and it made her
into a worldwide star but I’ve got no
regrets fair enough
I had just done so many movies about sex
I said to him I can’t tell the number
four
Matthew Broderick has Walter White
Breaking Bad my name is Walter Hartwell
white I live at 308 negra arroyo lane
albuquerque new mexico
now this one’s surprising to say the
least we have a hard time picturing
Matthew Broderick as Walter White
telling his wife I am the one who knocks
with any sort of believability I am the
one who knocks and yet it almost came to
fruition Broderick and John Cusack were
AMC’s first choices for the role of the
cancer suffering chemistry teacher who
turns to a life of crime in order to
support his family they were hesitant to
go with Bryan Cranston showrunner Vince
Gilligan’s initial choice but after
Gilligan showed them an episode of the
x-files in which Cranston played a
terminally ill aunt
Semite they gave in it’s truly scary to
think what might have been you’ve let
that sink in number three Rob Lowe as
Derek Shepherd Grey’s Anatomy I’m gonna
give you an incentive whoever finds the
answer rides with me unlike our previous
entry this one is considerably less
far-fetched
Rob Lowe was the first actor up for the
part of Derek Shepherd
also known as McDreamy a part that
ultimately went to Patrick Dempsey
according to Lowe he quote agreed to
meet with the people making Grey’s
Anatomy and he read the script feeling
that the writing was quote crisp real
and very entertaining in the end lo
passed in order to play get this another
doctor that’s right folks
Lowe accepted the role of dr. Billy
grant on the short-lived CBS series dr.
Vegas in contrast Grey’s Anatomy is
still going strong more than a decade
later
so lino number two matt LeBlanc as Phil
Dunphy Modern Family still just so much
good family time could you honestly
picture anyone other than Ty Burrell
playing Phil Dunphy the role has earned
him two Primetime Emmy Awards for
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a comedy
series and we feel confident saying that
Modern Family would not be the same
without him of course we wouldn’t be
discussing Burrell or his most iconic
character if another well-known actor
hadn’t almost landed the part before him
matt LeBlanc was offered the part of
Dunphy but turned it down didn’t I tell
you always showing off he said he felt
the script was great but that he would
quote be doing the project an injustice
if he accepted the role no that is the
kind of maturity that only comes from a
seasoned vet before we unveil our number
one pick here are some honorable
mentions our families I mean each other
from what Jamal’s told me I’m surprised
all you little lion cubs and we have did
you ever think we’d end up being
roommates not once I love this guy isn’t
it nice to be suddenly so highly
regarded
[Music]
number one Chris Rock is George Costanza
Seinfeld don’t me to go to hell and I
took the bus yes you heard that
correctly actor and comedian Chris Rock
was offered the role of George Costanza
Jerry’s neurotic socially awkward best
according to casting director Mark
Hirschfeld quote we saw every actor we
could possibly see in Los Angeles in the
hunt to find the perfect George Danny
DeVito and Nathan Lane were also
considered before Seinfeld and Larry
David settled on Jason Alexander this
was not the only character to have
almost been played by someone else as
Elaine was almost played by none other
than Rosie O’Donnell not that there’s
anything wrong with that nothing there’s
anything wrong with that do you agree
with our picks check out these other
great clips from WatchMojo and subscribe for new videos every day
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