Casting directors are among the most underappreciated positions in Hollywood, tasked with finding the perfect actor for every role. Still, even the best of them occasionally fumble the ball, making baffling calls based purely on looks, sometimes rejecting future icons for being too short, too old, or simply “not hot enough” for a role, as was the case with the 10 actors on this list.
10. Reese Witherspoon
Yup, we almost had an entirely different actress playing the iconic Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. Studio execs thought Witherspoon was “too shrewish” to play someone sexy like Elle. Luckily for fans, Witherspoon proved them very, very wrong.
9. Andrew Garfield
Before he became Spider-Man, Garfield auditioned for the part of Prince Caspian in the second Chronicles of Narnia film. He was turned down because he wasn’t “handsome enough”. Apparently, Garfield wouldn’t fit in the mold of traditional Disney princes—even if he would later become a Marvel (and therefore, Disney) icon.
8. Elizabeth Banks
From one Spider-Man film to another, Elizabeth Banks auditioned for the role of Mary Jane Watson in 2002’s Spider-Man—but was rejected for being “too old”. The part went to 19-year-old Kirsten Dunst, and Banks got the role of Betty Brant instead.
7. Tom Cruise
While Cruise did land the role of Jack Reacher, fans of the original novels wondered how a 5’7” actor could play someone like Reacher: a tall, imposing man described as being 6’5”. Those fans would later get a much more accurate portrayal thanks to Alan Ritchson.
6. Minnie Driver
A producer allegedly considered Minnie Driver “not hot enough” to be Matt Damon’s love interest in Good Will Hunting. Damon himself (backed by Ben Affleck) fought for her, and Driver would go on to get an Oscar nomination for her flawless performance.
5. Maggie Gyllenhaal
In 2015, Gyllenhaal revealed she was called “too old” to play the love interest of a male lead in an undisclosed project. The worst part? She was 37, while her co-star would be a 55-year-old male.
4. Olivia Wilde
Hollywood producers are masters at making “elegant” rejections. Olivia Wilde auditioned for the role of Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street, but was told she was “too sophisticated” for the character. That’s Hollywood code for “old”, as the role went to a younger Margot Robbie instead.
3. Jessica Chastain
Chastain might be one of the most talented performers in modern Hollywood—unfortunately, she doesn’t fit the industry’s traditional beauty standards. That was a disaster for the early days of her career, as she was often rejected for “prettier” leads.
2. Meryl Streep
Producer Dino De Laurentiis infamously rejected Meryl Streep, calling her (in Italian) an “ugly thing”. Streep responded (in Italian) that she was sorry she wasn’t “beautiful enough to be in King Kong”. On the flip side, De Laurentiis picked Jessica Lange, launching her legendary career.
1. Al Pacino
As unthinkable as it may be to think of anyone but Al Pacino playing Michael Corleone, Paramount producers wanted anyone but a short actor like Pacino in the movie. We were this close to getting Robert Redford in the lead role—a traditionally handsome Hollywood lead that would have drastically changed Michael’s character.
