Matt McCoy: Boy Meets World (as Alan Matthews)
This one would’ve been weird. Matt McCoy is a veteran actor with a very accomplished resume. He’s appeared in over 110 projects throughout his career (Seinfeld, Jack Ryan, Silicon Valley, Grey’s Anatomy). There was time where he was not only hired to be the patriarch of the Matthews family on Boy Meets World — but also filmed the pilot as dad Alan Matthews. For whatever reason, this decision ultimately was reversed shortly after. As such, William ‘Rusty’ Russ took over as the guiding force for Cory Matthews (played by Ben Savage).
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Julianne Moore: Can You Forgive Me? (as Lee Israel)
Moore’s loss was Melissa McCarthy’s gain in this movie. Moore originally was set to play writer Lee Israel under the guidance of director Nicole Holofcener. However, as Moore told Andy Cohen on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, things didn’t pan out well. Even more interesting — McCarthy got an Oscar nomination for her work in the film:
“I didn’t leave that movie, I was fired. Nicole fired me. So yeah, that’s the truth. I think she didn’t like what I was doing. I think that her idea of where the character was, was different than where my idea of where the character was, and so she fired me.”
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Eric Stoltz: Back to the Future (as Marty McFly)
This was a decision made after getting a considerable amount of tape. As the story went, Stoltz was pegged as the original Marty McFly. Reports indicate he shot weeks worth of scenes for the movie before those in charge realized something was off. Stoltz apparently approached the role in a far more serious/introspective manner (clips can be seen on YouTube). As such, the move was made to bring on Michael J. Fox — a performer with more of a comedic feel.
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Janet Hubert: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (as Aunt Viv)
This story has been long chronicled through the media. The O.G. Aunt Viv (Janet Hubert) was suddenly off the show after the third season. In her place came Daphne Reid. According to various reports, Hubert didn’t necessarily get along with the show’s lead — Will Smith. Smith and Hubert reportedly butted heads further when Hubert got pregnant in real life during her commitment to the show. Some reports insist this may have breached her contract — thus allowing for her to be replaced. Whatever the story may be, Smith and Hubert recently smoothed things over in person during a highly-anticipated Fresh Prince reunion.
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Anne Hathaway: Knocked Up (as Alison Scott)
Here’s the thing…she wasn’t technically fired from the role. Hathaway reportedly was asked to play the lead in Judd Apatow’s famed comedy alongside Seth Rogen. At the time, Hathaway allegedly had concerns over how she could act post-giving birth in the film (since she wasn’t a mother at that point). Due to the scene giving her some issues, she dropped out — paving the way for Katherine Heigl to be the lead. It was a fascinating development based upon their acting styles — with Heigl being more understated, and Hathaway being a bit more theatric.
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Edward Norton: Avengers Universe (as The Hulk)
Yikes. Edward Norton is a highly accomplished actor. Yet, after his portrayal as The Hulk more than a decade ago, those in power decided to switch from Norton to Mark Ruffalo. The reasoning behind the move? Well, this quote should tell it all. It comes from Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige:
“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.”
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Terrence Howard: Iron Man 2 (as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes)
The Iron Man franchise traded in one supremely talented actor for another. Both actors are truly chameleons in the way they can play virtually any role. Howard was in the first iteration of the trilogy alongside Robert Downey Jr. When it came time to shoot the sequel, reported issues on set between Howard, the crew, and director Jon Favreau led to a low-ball offer financially speaking (despite having signed a three-picture deal with Marvel). The offer was so bad, allegedly, that Howard was essentially forced to leave the project — thus leading to Cheadle’s insertion.
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Colin Firth: Paddington (as Paddington Bear)
Colin Firth usually has a charming, soothing voice for which millions upon millions of people enjoy thoroughly. When pegged to voice the iconic Paddington Bear, Firth did his usual work. He recorded the entire movie and felt as if the job was done. However, upon reflection, those working on the film realized that his voice simply didn’t work with what they wanted to get done as it pertained to the tone of the bear. Firth reportedly was not upset by the decision to move onto another actor. Ultimately, he was replaced by Ben Whishaw.
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Samantha Morton: Her (as Samantha)
The movie Her was quite striking, as Joaquin Phoenix played a shy loner in the future who fell in love with his A.I. mechanism (a machine named Samantha voiced by Scarlett Johansson). The movie is quirky and heartfelt — though also quite different from most big-budget movies out today. As writer/director Spike Jonze was aiming to cast the voice of Samantha, he landed initially on Samantha Morton. However, as the recordings proceeded and post-production of the film ensued, Jonze allegedly didn’t feel comfortable with Morton’s portrayal of the character. As such, Johansson was brought on after the fact to voice the inanimate object.
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Stuart Townsend: Lord of the Rings (as Aragorn)
It’s strange to think that Aragorn was at one time destined for an actor not named Viggo Mortensen. However, he wasn’t the first choice to portray the iconic character. Instead, Stuart Townsend was pegged for the role. Townsend was reportedly said to have gone through a rather intense preparation period (which included physical transformation). According to reports, director Peter Jackson give him the heave-ho the day before shooting was scheduled to take place. As such, Mortensen got the call to fill the spot.
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Erinn Hayes: Kevin Can Wait (as Donna James)
When preexisting chemistry is proven, sometimes you go back to the well and milk that success for all it’s worth. Kevin James briefly had another sitcom on CBS entitled Kevin Can Wait. Erinn Hayes played his wife on the show — though she was killed off after one year. Not very typical for a family friendly sitcom, right? Season 2 then proceeded to feature Leah Remini — James’ former wife from the hit show King of Queens. The move to Remini really didn’t pay off, as the show was cancelled after two seasons.
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Sylvester Stallone: Beverly Hills Cop (as Axel Foley)
We really can’t see anyone other than Eddie Murphy playing the role of Axel in Beverly Hills Cop. He absolutely crushed it as a force in that film. Interestingly enough, the studios went in a completely different direction before landing on Murphy. Sylvester Stallone was actually offered the role (to which he accepted). With that said, Stallone wanted to make some improvements to the script — and allegedly penned his own version with some revisions. The studio reportedly didn’t appreciate that move, hence why he was dropped and Murphy was brought on.
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Chloe Grace Moretz: Bolt (as Penny)
One star child actor was replaced for another in the Disney animated cartoon film Bolt. Chloe Grace Moretz reportedly recorded the entire part of Penny before being replaced shockingly by Miley Cyrus. Moretz was only 11 at the time of recording her lines. Some within production felt as if she reportedly may have been a bit too young for the role. However, Moretz still featured in the movie. The studio did use her voice as the younger version of Penny.
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Shia LaBeouf: Don’t Worry Darling (as Jack Chambers)
Oliva Wilde’s highly-hyped Don’t Worry Darling has endured no shortage of controversy leading up to the release of the film. It has been reported that she’s now dating the lead from the film — super successful pop star Harry Styles. Well, it’s also come out that Styles had replaced the original choice for the film in Shia LaBeouf. Wilde reportedly has said LaBeouf was fired from the role over allegedly making fellow lead Florence Pugh feel uncomfortable on set with his intense behavior. On the other hand, LaBeouf disputed the claims and reportedly said he quit himself over a lack of rehearsal time with his fellow co-star. We’ll leave it up for you to decide which side you land on.
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Charlie Sheen: Two and a Half Men (as Charlie Harper)
This one isn’t a huge surprise. At the height of the show’s popularity, Charlie Sheen was a television king. The show as a whole was among the most popular programs being produced. Ultimately, it was Sheen’s off-screen behavior which led to his booting from the show (after reported various attempts to get him help). Sheen’s character wasn’t replaced — though Ashton Kutcher was soon brought on as a way to negate Sheen’s departure.
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Kevin Spacey: All The Money In The World (as J. Paul Getty)
Spacey was dropped from a number of projects — including House of Cards and All The Money in the World. This was in regards to allegations against Spacey stemming from a report that he inappropriately engaged with a minor years ago. The severity of these allegations really did a number on Spacey’s career — which essentially has ceased to exist over the last few years. Christopher Plummer was brought on to take over Spacey’s role in the aforementioned film. Over 20 scenes reportedly were re-shot roughly a month before the film was supposed to come out. Plummer received a Best Supporting Actor nomination in the wake of this performance.
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Richard Gere: The Lords of Flatbush (as Chico Tyrell)
Rumors around Richard Gere don’t tend to revolve around the actor being difficult on set. This fact makes his firing from The Lords of Flatbush a bit of a surprise. The 1974 movie, set in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, originally starred Gere in an ensemble cast along with Sylvester Stallone and Henry Winkler. Reportedly, Gere was removed from the production as the result of a feud with Stallone that got out of control. The part of Chico went on to be played by actor Perry King.
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Anthony Michael Hall: Full Metal Jacket (as Private Joker)
The brilliance in casting former child actor Anthony Michael Hall as a smart-aleck newbie being pummeled by the atrocities of war is truly great. It’s even more compelling to then imagine that narrative being led by Stanley Kubrick. The highly-detailed director was famous for spending entire days on single shots of his films. As the schedule for the picture kept moving, Hall was reportedly unable to make himself suitably available. Ultimately, he was replaced by longtime fellow Matthew Modine.
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Harvey Keitel: Apocalypse Now (as Captain Willard)
These two powerhouse actors were vying for what turned out to be a very impactful role from a highly-impactful film. Martin Sheen ultimately landed the role as Captain Willard in Apocalypse Now (he did a fantastic job). However, it was actually Keitel who initially was hired by director Francis Ford Coppola. However, reports indicate that Coppola didn’t feel great about the direction of the film with Keitel as the protagonist. After a week of shooting, he reportedly stopped production in order to bring Sheen in.
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Jean-Claude Van Damme: Predator (as The Predator)
This is a fun story. We all know about Jean-Claude Van Damme’s exploits as a master in martial arts, action, and everything within the genre. As fate would have it, he was supposed to be the original predator (wearing the suit). Well, our action star had some reported issues with it. As the story goes, he struggled with the heat in Mexico (where the movie was being shot). Secondly, wearing a cumbersome costume meant that the audience wouldn’t be able to see his face and thus his classic moves. At some point, the director reportedly dropped Van Damme for Kevin Peter Hall (a 7-foot-2 former professional basketball player).
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Robert Downey Jr. — Gravity (as Matt Kowalsky)
Talk about star power. The Alfonso Cuaron space-themed movie Gravity starred George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. With that said, Clooney was not the first choice. Robert Downey Jr. — coming off his success as Tony Stark in Iron Man — was the guy pegged for the role. However, as Cuaron reportedly told The Hollywood Reporter, things didn’t progress smoothly:
“It became very clear that, as we started to nail the technology, or narrow the technology, that was going to be a big obstacle for his performance. I think Robert is fantastic if you give him the freedom to completely breathe and improvise and change stuff. [But] we tried one of these technologies and it was not compatible.”
Downey Jr. ended up later leaving the project — paving the way for Clooney.
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James Remar: Aliens (as Corporal Hicks)
Director James Cameron fired Remar after a week on the job. The reason? Well, Remar went into great detail during an interview he gave on a podcast called Sidebar in 2010:
“I had a terrible drug problem, but I got through it. I had a great career and personal life, and messed it up with a terrible drug habit. I was fired after a couple weeks of filming because I got busted for possession of drugs, and Michael Biehn replaced me.”
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Christian Bale: American Psycho (as Patrick Bateman)
Now this is a fascinating story. Bale was originally hired to play Patrick Bateman (a role he’s very famous for). However, when Leonardo DiCaprio became available, the studio execs reportedly pivoted to him instead. DiCaprio signed on to work with Oliver Stone…though quickly abandoned the project over reported ‘creative differences’. As such, Bale was brought back into the fold rather quickly. He had even kept his gym routine strong in anticipation of once again playing the role.
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Natalie Portman: Romeo and Juliet (as Juliet)
Baz Luhrmann’s reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet initially featured Portman as Juliet. She was only 13 years old at the time of her casting. Romeo — played by Leonardo DiCaprio — was 21 at the time of his casting. Can you see where we’d have a strange problem here? Everyone on the set was reportedly uncomfortable with the age gap (including Portman). As such, she was replaced by Claire Danes.
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Ryan Gosling: The Lovely Bones (as Jack Salmon)
Ryan Gosling has played a number of big-time roles. Straying away from the fantasy realm, Peter Jackson was hoping to utilize Gosling for his interpretation of The Lovely Bones. However, there was a minor problem (as Gosling told The Hollywood Reporter):
“We didn’t talk very much during the preproduction process, which was the problem. It was a huge movie, and there’s so many things to deal with, and he couldn’t deal with the actors individually. I just showed up on set, and I had gotten it wrong. Then I was fat and unemployed.”
According to Gosling, he put on 60 pounds for the role by “drinking melted Haagen-Dazs ice cream” when he was thirsty. His interpretation of the character clearly clashed with Jackson’s — and thus he was dropped for Mark Wahlberg.
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