No one likes being rejected. In Hollywood, however, a single “No” can make or break entire careers. Missing out on a role could be the difference between snagging that coveted breakout role or ending up as an extra in some failing sitcom. Still, as shattering as rejection can be, some real stars were born from those dreaded turndowns. From stars who would prove producers wrong to icons who were reborn from one too many failed projects, these 10 Hollywood actors turned rejection into entire legacies.
10. Clint Eastwood
For many, Clint Eastwood is the quintessential movie cowboy, perhaps even more so than John Wayne. However, thanks to Universal Studios, Eastwood was almost expelled from the acting industry altogether. In the late 1950s, Eastwood was fired by Universal, mostly due to his appearance. Some execs told Eastwood that his Adam’s apple “stuck out too far” and that his chipped tooth, which he refused to get fixed, would make him unfit for Hollywood. A few years later, and with a fistful of dollars in his pocket, Eastwood proved Universal terribly wrong.
9. Dustin Hoffman
It hurts when a casting director tells you that you don’t look handsome enough for a role. It hurts doubly when it’s a family member telling you so. Dustin Hoffman’s family, including his aunt, Pearl, told the would-be star that he wasn’t good-looking enough to pursue his Hollywood dreams. Even if Hoffman was never considered conventionally attractive, his charisma and undeniable acting chops turned him into one of the most coveted celebrities of his generation.
8. Kate Winslet
As we’ve seen, beauty standards in Hollywood can be downright unforgiving. For Kate Winslet, one of her drama teachers became her first encounter with the cruelty of the entertainment industry’s fitness policing. Her teacher told her that she should settle for “fat girl” roles if she wanted to pursue a serious career as an actress. After Winslet became an international sensation with the success of Titanic, she used her newfound voice to speak out and reform Hollywood’s draconian body standards.
7. Gary Oldman
Long before he became Hollywood’s most prominent chameleon, Gary Oldman was struggling to find a place where he could become an actor. He was famously rejected by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The school invited Oldman to try again next year…just before they also advised him against pursuing an acting career. Luckily, Oldman didn’t listen, and went on to become the industry’s most shapeshifting performer.
6. Sylvester Stallone
Rejected by over 1,500 casting directors and agents, Sylvester Stallone was widely considered “uncastable.” His unconventional looks and signature slurred drawl confused studios. Before Rocky, Stallone was so broke that he had to sell his beloved dog for $40 outside a 7-Eleven just to afford rent. Eventually, he wrote the script for Rocky and refused to sell the rights unless he would also star in the film. And don’t worry about his dog: once Rocky became a hit, he bought it back for $15,000 – an investment that Stallone says was “worth every penny.”
5. Winona Ryder
Sometimes, it pays to ignore casting directors. Had Winona Ryder listened to the comments about her physique from one particularly nasty casting director, we wouldn’t have met the 90s “it girl”. Ryder was cut mid-sentence by one casting director who told her that she should “Not be an actress” because she wasn’t pretty enough. The soon-to-be actress was around 15 years old when that happened. Fortunately, she didn’t listen to those critics, and turned that rejection into the motivation to become a cultural icon.
4. Jennifer Lawrence
Like many of her peers, Jennifer Lawrence struggled early on in her career to find a place to call her own among Hollywood’s elite. She was frequently told she was “too fat” for conventionally attractive roles. Lawrence famously refused to follow trendy diets or strict training regimes to accommodate the industry’s beauty standards.
In the end, it was her acting performances that won Hollywood over, letting her acting do the talking. This all happened before Winter’s Bone; by the time The Hunger Games came along, Lawrence had proved that not only was she fit enough for Hollywood – she could easily play an action lead if she wanted to.
3. Andrew Garfield
From comic book movies to touching war dramas, Andrew Garfield has done it all. One role he couldn’t land, however, was that of a Disney prince in the second Chronicles of Narnia movie. He auditioned for the part of Prince Caspian, but was passed over for Ben Barnes. His agent had to break the sad news to him: he wasn’t fit for the role because Disney thought he wasn’t handsome enough. He has now been nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role twice at the Oscars.
2. Harrison Ford
Considering the cultural impact that Harrison Ford had on the industry in the 80s and 90s, a world where he wasn’t an actor would be downright unthinkable. The reality is, however, that he came dangerously close to quitting his acting pursuits before landing his first big role.
One studio exec told Ford he just didn’t “have it,” comparing him to Tony Curtis. Now, Ford’s popularity arguably eclipses Curtis at the top of his career. After years of working as a carpenter and working a few times as an extra, Ford finally became a Hollywood icon in his mid-30s.
1. Meryl Streep
Long before she starred in movies like Sophie’s Choice and Kramer vs. Kramer, Meryl Streep had a rough time landing any roles. In one of Hollywood’s nastiest rejections, Streep was called an “ugly thing,” in Italian, by producer Dino De Laurentiis when she was working on De Laurentiis’ King Kong. Streep didn’t land the role, which went to Jessica Lange instead.
A few years later, Streep was co-starring in The Deer Hunter – a movie that brought her the industry’s recognition and the love of thousands of fans. Now, Meryl Streep is no longer an “ugly thing”: she’s become one of the most respected female performers of all time, holding a record number of Academy Award nominations that cement her status as a true Hollywood icon.
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