Top 10 Hardest Roles to Cast in Movies

Casting the two leads in the controversial erotic romance probably proved tricky for a couple of reasons. One, the subject matter made it a big red flag. Two, the novels themselves were largely seen as salacious and lacking in any real human interest. Many actresses were considered for the role of Anastasia Steele before Dakota Johnson said yes, but her counterpart proved elusive. Ryan Gosling, Garrett Hedlund, and Stephen Amell passed on the part of Christian Grey for reasons that ranged from “the character isn’t interesting” to “I don’t want to.” Charlie Hunnam was attached to co-star with Johnson before dropping out, and Jamie Dornan eventually filled the role.

The role that made Julia Roberts a star was much different than the one several of Hollywood’s biggest actresses turned down. “Pretty Woman”’s original script was much darker and grittier than what made it to theaters. In fact, it was supposed to be a hard-hitting look at Vivian Ward’s experiences as a sex worker on the streets of Los Angeles. Casting the role that went to Richard Gere was difficult enough, but several actresses emphatically refused the part Roberts ended up taking. Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, and Daryl Hannah were among the names in the mix. They reportedly essentially cited the misogynistic and exploitative tone of the early story.

This ‘80s horror satire requires a delicate balance, as it volleys between scenes of excessive violence and illicit hedonism and sleek offices and sterile apartments. But it’s the violence that turned many off from the role of sociopathic finance bro wannabe, Patrick Bateman. Billy Crudup left the role after much preparation, as did Leonardo DiCaprio. The character’s horrifically violent nature certainly seemed to play a part in these decisions. “American Psycho” basically became a revolving door of actors and directors. Ultimately, director Mary Harron said she would not do the movie without Christian Bale. Though it wasn’t that simple (she was let go before later being rehired), things eventually worked out.

There’s a world in which Peter Jackson’s first “The Lord of the Rings” movie flops so hard at the box office it wipes out several careers. High budgets and extensive shooting schedules meant that every decision was a potential disaster. That’s why the troubles Jackson had with finding the right actor for Aragorn were so high stakes. Nicolas Cage, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Russell Crowe all turned the role down for various reasons. It was one of the few parts still being cast amidst filming, as the director replaced Stuart Townsend, realizing he didn’t have the maturity required. With no disrespect to any of the other actors here, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn.

Annie Wilkes has gone down in history as one of cinema’s most dastardly and unhinged villains. However, it’s her victim Paul Sheldon — the writer she holds captive after he gets into a car accident — who was hardest to cast. The list of actors who were offered the role is astounding, and each one would have made it a completely different movie. In the end, a laundry list of people said no, including William Hurt, Richard Dreyfuss, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, and Al Pacino. We don’t know each of their reasons for sure, but we can’t imagine the character’s more demure, unassertive nature helped. Thankfully, the movie’s eventual star, James Caan, recognized what a challenge the part would be for an actor.

Unfortunately, to many in Hollywood, director Ang Lee’s tragic western romance between two cowboys was a punchline at best, and a career-ender, at worst. Even in 2005, queer representation in film was a huge gamble. The original director, Gus Van Sant, had a terrible time finding his leads. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt notably turned him down, and the search derailed his enthusiasm for the project. Ang Lee didn’t have much better luck at first. Mark Wahlberg was considered, but its subject matter apparently didn’t align with his Catholic beliefs. Before securing the talents of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, Lee said many other actors were reluctant to play queer parts.

Ryan Gosling was basically an easy lock for the role of Noah Calhoun. Casting his romantic counterpart proved to be a unique challenge. Before Rachel McAdams came in and blew away the team behind “The Notebook,” finding Allie was basically like throwing darts at the wall and seeing who it landed on. Everyone in the right age range seems to have been looked at. Some of the era’s heaviest hitters, including Ashley Judd, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Reese Witherspoon, were in the running before McAdams was cast. Interestingly, Britney Spears was a runner-up for the part. Her impressive audition ended up online sometime afterward.

The adaptation of the epic, bestselling novel was like catnip for practically every actress in Hollywood, and even for aspiring ones across America. It’s ironic then that the role of southern belle Scarlett O’Hara went to English star Vivien Leigh. But the road to casting her was long and thorny. Producer David O. Selznick put out a nationwide call for the part. This was largely studio hype, but the actual process of finding the right performer wasn’t any easier. It seems like everyone from the biggest stars to the most hopeful bit players were looked at to play Scarlett. After much searching, “dark horse” Vivien Leigh emerged as the victor.

Since his introduction in the novel series by Ian Fleming, Agent 007 has been the model of the quintessential secret agent and Englishman. Seeing as he’s been cast numerous different times over the franchise’s history, producers have had time to decode the alchemy behind the process. Bond’s actor has to have the right mix of looks, charm, and mystery. It’s a big ask. Just look at the long line of incredible actors who have been considered for the role. Henry Cavill, Mel Gibson, Sam Neill, Sean Bean, and more have all been turned down to fill the agent’s impeccably-tailored suits. Meanwhile, producer choices like Richard Burton, Cary Grant, Liam Neeson, and Christian Bale have declined the part for various reasons.

Before it became an unexpected awards season contender, this adaptation of a Thomas Harris thriller was met with skepticism and derision by many Hollywood heavyweights. Casting FBI agent Clarice Starling put the filmmakers in a tough spot. Indeed, director Jonathan Demme had his eye on stars Meg Ryan and Michelle Pfeiffer, but both refused the role flat out. Yet Hannibal Lecter was perhaps even harder to cast. Before Anthony Hopkins took the part, it seems like virtually every leading man in the industry was considered. Thankfully, in the end, Hopkins and Jodie Foster did some career-best work, winning Oscars for their performances.

Which of these roles is hardest to imagine being played by anyone else?