12 Oscar-winning roles that were supposed to go to different actors

Clémence Michallon looks at roles that were the results of an arduous process – but made Oscars history. Some of the most famous roles in Hollywood history were the results of an arduous process, peppered with unlucky auditions and last-minute changes. But just because an actor wasn’t the first pick for a part doesn’t mean they can’t take ownership of it. Tom Hanks wasn’t first in line to portray Forrest Gump, yet it’s impossible to imagine anyone else leading the 1994 classic.

Sometimes, being the second (or third, or fourth) choice for a role can even be the first step on the way to Oscar glory. From Hanks to Lady Gaga, here are 12 actors who weren’t the first pick for their illustrious roles, yet went on to win Academy Awards for their work:. Lady Gaga in A Star is Born. A Star is Born, the 2018 remake of the musical romantic drama starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, was in development for years before the project finally kicked into gear, so it makes sense that it would have gone through several iterations.

Beyoncé was originally supposed to play the female lead in the latest version, with Clint Eastwood directing, but that film was delayed and never materialised. In the end, Gaga played Ally Maine, earning a Best Actress nomination for the role – and winning the Oscar for Best Original Song for “Shallow”. Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side. Sandra Bullock accepted the part of Leigh Anne Tuohy, and went on to win the Oscar for Best Actress at the 2010 ceremony.

Russell Crowe in Gladiator. Of course, the role eventually went to Russell Crowe, who took home the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2001. Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. In this case, Hanks ended up winning the Oscar for Best Actor in 1995 – defeating Travolta, who was nominated in the same category for his role as Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction. Haller Berry in Monster’s Ball. In 2002, Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball.

Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea. Matt Damon was a producer on Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea, but he was originally supposed to star as its lead too. The bet paid off: Affleck took home the Oscar for Best Actor for his work in the tragedy. Emma Stone in La La Land. It’s hard to imagine someone else next to Ryan Gosling on the La La Land poster, but another Emma was first primed to star as one of the musical romantic comedy-drama’s leads.

“It’s one of these frustrating things where sort of names get attached to projects very early on as a way to kind of build anticipation or excitement for something that’s coming before anything is really actually agreed or set in stone,” Watson told SiriusXM. Stone’s turn as Dolan ended up winning her the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 2017 ceremony. Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love.

Gwyneth Paltrow won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her turn as Viola de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love, but her participation wasn’t always in the cards. Eventually, Paltrow read the script, fell in love with the part, and the rest is history. Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook. Hathaway left the project, and Lawrence eventually replaced her – which resulted in her Best Actress win at the 2013 ceremony.

Jack Nicholson in Terms of Endearment. Burt Reynolds turned down the role of Garrett Breedlove in the 1983 comedy-drama – a decision he has sorely regretted. Perhaps adding to his regrets is the fact that Nicholson won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1984 for his work on the film. Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln. Daniel Day-Lewis won one of this three (yes, three!) Best Actor Oscars for his turn as Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s 2012 biopic of the US president.

But according to Liam Neeson, he was also approached by Spielberg for the part and seriously considered it, but ended up turning it down in a “real thunderbolt moment”. “Daniel Day’s an old pal, and I think Daniel maybe had been approached first; I don’t know the history of that,” Neeson added, “but I was thrilled that Daniel played him, and when I saw the film, I was like, ‘He’s f****** Abraham Lincoln. This is perfect.’ Perfect.”.

Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs. Well, hello, Clarice. According to director Jonathan Demme himself, the classic psychological thriller almost had a different lead starring as the FBI trainee Clarice Starling. According to Demme, the script went through Michelle Pfeiffer, Meg Ryan, and Laura Dern, before he was eventually talked into casting Foster as Starling. Of course, the choice paid off: Foster delivered an iconic performance, and earned her second Best Actress Oscar for the part.