7 Actors Who Avoided Disaster By Turning Down Roles

Many actors, particularly those starting out, are often told to take any role offered to them. While this seems logical – it provides work and increases visibility – it’s a crucial time for establishing a career, and a bad choice can be damaging. Finding the right balance is key, as Taylor Kitsch learned when he hoped John Carter would be his breakthrough role, but the film’s failure negatively impacted his career.

As actors become well-known, it’s even more important to choose roles carefully. A bad decision can harm anyone’s career, but it can be especially damaging to established actors, potentially ruining their reputation with just one mistake. Fortunately, actors often have a feeling when a project isn’t right for them. There are many examples of actors who avoided a career setback by turning down a role that would have been a disaster.

7) Jordan Peele Turned Down The Poop Emoji In The Emoji Movie

Many actors likely hesitated before agreeing to voice the Poop Emoji. While the role might have seemed funny to some, it could also potentially harm their career.

Jordan Peele told Vanity Fair that he stopped acting to focus on directing and writing after rejecting a particular role. He explained that if he’d taken the part, he probably would have been remembered as “the Poop Emoji” instead of becoming the acclaimed horror filmmaker known for films like Get Out that explore the Black experience.

6) Drew Barrymore Turned Down The Lead in Showgirls

Drew Barrymore has faced public challenges throughout her life. She openly discussed her battles with addiction as a teenager, which almost derailed her acting career. While she successfully rebuilt her image and returned to leading roles, she was careful about the projects she chose, not wanting to accept just anything.

Drew Barrymore made a smart choice turning down the lead in Showgirls after reading the script, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film ended up with an NC-17 rating and is now known for being over-the-top and featuring a lot of nudity. It’s likely taking that role would have caused Barrymore significant controversy and could have harmed her career, though it’s hard to say for sure.

5) Christian Bale Turned Down a Role in Noah

I’ve noticed a lot of Bible stories make their way to the big screen! One that really stands out is Charlton Heston’s The Ten Commandments – it’s a classic, and I always see it on TV around Passover and Easter. More recently, Darren Aronofsky’s Noah was a huge film about the flood, but honestly, I remember it more for all the talk and debate around it than for how well it did at the box office.

The movie itself wasn’t controversial, but it came out at a time when people were starting to criticize biblical films for casting mostly white actors in roles depicting a region and era where the population wasn’t predominantly white. Christian Bale was originally offered the lead role that Russell Crowe ultimately played, but he turned it down. This likely saved him from potential criticism that could have harmed his career, and also shielded him from the backlash religious groups had towards the film’s content.

4) Jim Carrey Decided Not To Return for Evan Almighty

The movie Bruce Almighty, a comedy about a TV reporter who temporarily gains God’s powers, was both popular with audiences and well-received by critics. Because of its success, a sequel seemed like a sure thing, but Jim Carrey decided not to participate.

Jim Carrey has a habit of avoiding sequels, preferring to move on to new roles after each film. This time, that decision turned out to be fortunate for his career. The sequel, which unexpectedly made Steve Carell’s character the main focus after a turn into politics and a spiritual awakening, wasn’t well-received. The film, Evan Almighty, was a box office failure, and Carrey was lucky to have avoided being involved.

3) Margot Robbie Turned Down Major Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell

Margot Robbie was originally slated to star in a live-action version of the popular anime film, Ghost in the Shell, and early concept art featured her in the role. The 1995 movie followed a team of cyborgs tasked with tracking down a dangerous hacker known as the “Puppet Master,” who was causing widespread cybercrime. Given the source material and talent involved, the film seemed poised for success.

You know, when Scarlett Johansson landed the role of Major in Ghost in the Shell, it seemed like a big deal. But looking back, Margot Robbie made a really smart call turning it down. The movie ended up being super controversial – a lot of people felt a Japanese actress should have played the lead, and other key roles. Honestly, it didn’t land well with critics or audiences. It only got a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes and, ultimately, the film lost money at the box office. It’s a shame, because the source material is fantastic, but the casting really hurt it.

2) Zendaya Turned Down the Lead in Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B

Biographical films, or biopics, can be huge for an actor’s career, which is why it was unexpected when Zendaya decided not to play Aaliyah in the Lifetime movie. However, making the film would have been a misstep, as Aaliyah’s family didn’t want it to be made, and Zendaya respected their feelings by withdrawing from the project.

I always admired Zendaya’s thoughtfulness, and I understand why she ultimately decided not to play Aaliyah. It wasn’t just about scheduling or anything like that. She recognized a real issue – because her skin tone is lighter than Aaliyah’s, taking the role could have sparked accusations of colorism, and she didn’t want to contribute to that conversation. It was a really mature and considerate decision, honestly.

1) Mike Faist Decided Not To Participate In The Movie Version of Dear Evan Hansen

Mike Faist was the first to play Connor Murphy in the stage version of Dear Evan Hansen, making him an obvious fit for the movie adaptation. Despite this, he wasn’t keen on the project and decided not to participate.

The actor made the right call. The movie flopped, and Ben Platt, who used to co-star with him, faced a lot of criticism for appearing too old to play a high schooler. The backlash turned into ridicule, and while Platt was already well-known enough to likely weather the storm, it’s uncertain if the less experienced actor would have been able to recover from that kind of negative attention.

Who do you think got incredibly lucky to avoid a bad situation? Share your thoughts in the ComicBook Forum’s comments section!

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2025-11-10 00:11