Actors who’ve turned down jackpot roles

Just like Mr. Sinatra, we’ve all had regrets, and hopefully too few to mention. However, in the film world, many famed actors and actresses have had to live with some serious regrets about the roles they didn’t take that could have bagged them some big money in the long run, not to mention some of the industry’s top awards.

Take the late Sir Sean Connery, for many the very epitome of James Bond. He debuted 007 for the big screen in 1962’s Dr. No only after Cary Grant famously turned down the role and went on to earn a Guinness World Record salary of $1.25 million for 1971’s Diamonds are Forever.

Fast forward to the 2000s and Connery was offered the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with a 15% share of the film’s profits being part of the deal. Connery turned it down and lost out on an estimated $450 million pay-out from what has become an incredibly lucrative film franchise. Of course, Sir Ian McKellen took on the role and earned an Oscar nomination as well as an estimated $50 million.

It’s Not Just the Salary

Academy Award winning writer and actor Matt Damon has voiced his regret at turning down the role of Jake Sully in Avatar, one of the highest-grossing films of all time. He’d been offered 10% of the profits and lost out on a very nice nest egg of £200 million. The global box office takings of $2.85 billion and nine Oscar nominations. If that wasn’t enough, the impact on pop culture and entertainment has been so significant that it has influenced several sectors of the entertainment industry. For example, the film went on to diversify into other forms of entertainment such as the 2009 video games James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game. 

Additionally, the online casino industry embraced the franchise. The availability of the Avatar slot game speaks to the need for this industry to offer relevant, popular titles in order to engage audiences and surpass competitors. This is one of many factors considered by casino review sites. Payment methods are another as customers are often looking for casino bonuses in places where you can transfer money with PayPal due to the convenience it provides. So, with the upcoming Avatar films and the industry’s emphasis on offering novel titles, don’t be surprised to see more Avatar slots and other movie tie-ins at these sites in the near future. Sorry Matt, better luck next time!

Enjoy with No Regrets

The list of actors who thought they were playing it safe by turning down film roles that then turned into money-printing franchise juggernauts just goes on. Mel Gibson declined the role of Maximus in Gladiator, giving Russell Crowe a Best Actor Oscar and a $5 million payday. Nicolas Cage declined the role of Neo in The Matrix, whilst actor David Boreanaz is now most famous for refusing the title role in Batman Begins. Robert Pattinson certainly didn’t make the same mistake as he is set to star as the lead in another reboot after Ben Affleck’s time as the Caped Crusader, although he will be up against it if he wants to match Christian Bale’s portrayal as the character.

As you can see, there a number of actors who are likely to be ruing their decision-making. If any lesson is to be learned by a budding actor, it’s never ignore an email from a certain Mr. James Cameron.

Photo: Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock