EntertainmentCarry On film series set to return after 27 years

Who can forget Tom Hanks’ brilliant performance in "Forrest Gump" or Julia Roberts’ endearing role in “Pretty Woman”? While it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing these characters, fact remains that these actors bagged the iconic roles only after someone else turned them down. Click through to find out which actors turned down some of the most famous roles that set career benchmarks for others.

Back from hell: the return of Sinead O'Connor

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Carry On Film Series on WN Network delivers the latest Videos and Editable pages for News & Events, including Entertainment, Music, Sports, Science and more, Sign up and share your 27 years after the last movie, the Carry On films may be set to return with a more ''politically correct'' movie

27 years after the last movie, the Carry On films may be set to return with a more ''politically correct'' movie CORRIE fans have slammed the show claiming it is too light-hearted and like a “ Carry On film ” after previously moaning about the amount of death and destruction

Director Damien Chazelle’s Oscar-winning musical “La La Land” was marked by an incredible chemistry between lead pair Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. In an interview with Uproxx, Chazelle revealed that there were a different pair of actors who were supposed to be in the lead. He said, “There was a moment where Emma Watson and Miles Teller were doing it. Neither of those casting things wound up lasting or working out.” Watson tried to explain the situation later in an interview with Sirius XM, “It’s one of these frustrating things where names get attached to projects very early on as a way to build anticipation for something that's coming before anything is really actually agreed.”

The role of seductress Catherine Tramell, made iconic by Sharon Stone in “Basic Instinct,” was first offered to Pfeiffer. During an interview on NBC’s “Today,” she revealed that she had also been offered films such as “Pretty Woman” (1990) and “Thelma & Louise” (1991). She turned them down because she was committed to some other projects at the time. She said, “A lot of times there are so many reasons that go into turning something down and it’s not necessarily because you don’t want to do it, there is a conflict…you are committed to something else…typically, it was something like that.”

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DiCaprio was offered the role of Anakin Skywalker by none other than the director himself. However, he turned it down because he didn’t feel “ready to take that dive.” The role went to Hayden Christensen instead. During an interview with Shortlist magazine the actor said, “I did have a meeting with George Lucas about that but didn’t feel ready to take that dive. At that point.”

The executives of this remake of a 2005 documentary, about the Bolivian elections, originally had George Clooney in mind for the lead, before Sandra Bullock happened to read the script and asked them whether they might consider her – which they did. Clooney, however, wasn’t off the project completely – he’s one of the film’s producers. During an interview with People magazine, Bullock said, “He [Clooney], at the time, was not attached to this film to play the role.”

Kidman, then pregnant, turned down the critically-acclaimed Holocaust drama because of her concerns that its theme might affect her unborn child. Kate Winslet ultimately earned an Academy Award for the role. While talking to the Daily Mail, Kidman said, “The way I work, it would penetrate my baby. I got pregnant and I was meant to do 'The Reader.' And they said, "Oh can you still do it?" But I cannot work pregnant.”

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Oscar winning actress Lawrence auditioned unsuccessfully for the role of Bella Swan in the super hit vampire-themed fantasy series. Kristen Stewart went on to play this popular role and gained a legion of fans in the process. At “The Howard Stern Show,” Lawrence said, “I didn’t really know what it was. You just get like five pages and they’re like, ‘Act monkey.’ And when it came out, I was like, ‘Hot damn. Whoa.’”

The Wolverine star turned down the iconic role of James Bond because of doubts over portraying “two enormous recurring parts.” In an interview with Variety, Jackman said, “I was worried that between Bond and ‘X-Men,’ I’d never have time to do different things.” Daniel Craig was later cast to play the MI6 agent.

Tom Hanks' (R) Oscar-winning role in the movie was earlier offered to Murray (C) and Travolta (L), according to the BBC. The movie won six Oscars, including best film, best actor and best director for Robert Zemeckis.

The role of Neo in the sci-fi action hit was turned down by Smith before Keanu Reeves accepted the part. Smith told Wired in 2004, “In the pitch, I just didn't see it. I watched Keanu's performance – and very rarely do I say this – but I would have messed it up.”

Honest Drivers Return Cash After Armored Truck Spilled $175,000 Onto Highway

"We understand most of the money will never be returned," police said. Who doesn’t dream of money falling from the skies? For drivers along the I-285 west passing by Dunwoody, Georgia, dreams became reality earlier this week when about $175,000 in cash came flying out of an armored truck. But incredibly, many drivers that stopped to pick up money by the handfuls are returning them to the Dunwoody Police Department. “We’ve had seven people come in with varying amounts, from $2,100 to … $1,” Sergeant Robert Parsons of the Dunwoody Police Department told InsideEdition.com.

The spy thriller was supposed to have Cruise playing the title character Edwin A. Salt. Director Phillip Noyce told NBC, “Tom was flirting with the part, and we just couldn't pin him down. Eventually he did 'Knight and Day' instead.” Later, Angelina Jolie showed interest in the script, and Evelyn Salt came to be.

Jennifer Lawrence’s Academy Award-winning role in the movie almost went to Zooey Deschanel after Anne Hathaway declined it (for “Les Miserables”). During a radio interview, the producer of the movie, Harvey Weinstein told host Howard Stern, “David O. Russell [director] and Anne had some creative differences, they didn't see eye-to-eye.”

According to multiple reports, Paltrow was director James Cameron’s first choice to play the role of Rose in the epic movie. The studio also wanted the director to consider Matthew McConaughey for the role of Jack. The movie won the best picture award at the Oscars in 1998.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981) was almost made with Selleck instead of Harrison Ford. Fortunately for Ford, the former turned down the role due to unavailability of dates as he had already filmed a pilot for the show “Magnum P.I.” Selleck told the “Late Show with David Letterman,” “They [director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas] held the offer out for about a month. The more they held out the offer and talked to the network the more the network said no... so I had to kind of move on.”

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Reynolds was the first choice for the role of Edward Lewis that Richard Gere grabbed. On "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," Reynolds later revealed the reason why he rejected the role. “Because I’m an idiot,” he joked.

It was a million-dollar loss for Bullock, who pulled out of the sports drama due to scheduling conflicts. The movie gave Hilary Swank her career’s second Oscar.

Before Harrison Ford came to play Han Solo in the cult series, Nick Nolte, Al Pacino (L) and Christopher Walken were all considered for the role. At Toronto Film festival Pacino told MTV that when he read the script, he didn't understand it.

Williams was considered for the role of Joker in the film, which ultimately was rendered by Jack Nicholson. The movie won an Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Nicholson was nominated in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture category at the Golden Globes.

Pitched in 1997, the movie didn’t go into production until a decade later with several names like Nicolas Cage and Rob Lowe being tossed around. Robert Downey Jr. ultimately played the role of Tony Stark and owned it.

The music legend was in talks to play the dirty cop, but he apparently dropped out because the character's now-iconic Magnum pistol was too heavy for his recently broken wrist. The other reason was his father’s death. Later, Marlon Brando and Paul Newman were considered for the role, before Clint Eastwood finally bagged it.

The title role in the movie revamped Mickey Rourke's career, but was previously considered for Nicolas Cage. “I resigned from the movie because I didn’t think I had enough time to achieve the look of the wrestler who was on steroids, which I would never do,” Cage told Access Hollywood.

Angela Bassett found the lead role in "Monster’s Ball" demeaning and refused to do it. She told Newsweek, “I wasn’t going to be a prostitute on film.” As a result, Halle Berry stepped in and went on to bag the Academy Award for Best Actress.

The makers of "Charlie’s Angels" wanted Angelina Jolie to portray Alex Munday. But the star actress, who was not a fan of the original series, refused to do it. Lucy Liu bagged the role eventually.

In an interview with Metro, Bette Midler claimed that "Sister Act" was written for her, but she refused the film as she thought her fans won’t like her in a "wimple." The role later went to Whoopi Goldberg.

Washington refused to accept the lead role in Tony Gilroy's film. During an interview with GQ, he said, “With Clayton, it was the best material I had read in a long time, but I was nervous about a first-time director, and I was wrong. It happens.” As a result, the role was passed on to George Clooney.

According to Us Weekly, Garrett Hedlund refused to play Christian Grey. A source close to the actor said he didn’t want to be tied down to the trilogy. As a result, the role went to Jamie Dornan.

Director Lee Daniels had originally signed Mirren for the role of Mrs. Weiss. Mirren backed out and Mariah Carey was signed as a last-minute replacement. Carey told Mirror, “Someone told me Helen Mirren had been offered the role of the social worker but had to pull out.”

Al Pacino, who portrayed Michael Corleone in the iconic film, was not the original choice for the role. Director Francis Ford Coppola earlier offered the role to Jack Nicholson, who turned it down.

Director Tim Burton had considered Jim Carrey for the lead role, but it eventually went to Johnny Depp as the former lacked dramatic experience at that point in his career.

Matthew Broderick’s role of a charming high school student in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" almost went to Johnny Depp, who turned it down due to scheduling conflicts.

Julia Roberts was the first choice to play Leigh Anne Tuohy in the John Lee Hancock-directed movie. However, the actress dropped out of the film and Sandra Bullock stepped in as her replacement. Bullock went on win an Oscar for the role.

The producers of the film signed Leonardo DiCaprio as the leading man of the film after they fired Christian Bale during the pre-production filming as they wanted a bigger name. However, the "Titanic" star backed out later as he felt his fanbase would not like to see him as a cold-blooded murderer. As a result, Bale was rehired.

Lindsay Lohan was first considered for the part of Jade, but director Todd Phillips later offered the role to Heather Graham, as Lohan was too young to play the part in the franchise. During an interview with Daily Mail, Phillips said, “She didn't turn it down. She loved the script, actually. It really was an age thing.”

Reese Witherspoon passed on the lead role of the 1996 horror movie to Neve Campbell.

The brat pack star turned down the role of Vivian because she didn’t want to play the role as she though the part wasn’t meant for her. She said, “The script was okay but I gotta say, Julia Roberts is what makes that movie. It was her part.”

Gellar was the original choice for Cher Horowitz, but she could not accept it due to a contract for the TV series "All My Children." Alicia Silverstone bagged the role instead.

The makers of the film wanted Cruise to play the lead, but he could not commit due to conflicts in dates. The actor was busy filming for “All The Right Moves” then. The role was later portrayed by Kevin Bacon.

The 1996 film was written keeping Hanks in mind. However, Hanks was busy directing "That Thing You Do!," and Tom Cruise stepped in as Hanks’ replacement, revealed director Cameron Crowe in an interview with Deadline.

Jodie Foster played the lead role in the 1991 thriller, but the role was first offered to Pfeiffer who declined it as she thought the film was too violent.

Director James Cameron first considered Damon for the lead role in "Avatar." However, the actor turned it down due to a scheduling conflict with "The Bourne Ultimatum." During an interview with Playboy magazine, Damon said, “Having to say no to 'Avatar' was tough because I particularly wanted to work with James Cameron, and still do, because he’s fantastic.” The role was eventually played by Sam Worthington.

Blunt was the first choice for the role of Black Widow in the movie, but due to scheduling conflicts with her movie “Gulliver’s Travels,” she opted out and the role landed in the lap of Scarlett Johansson. Blunt told MTV, “It’s a shame the two of them couldn’t work together. It just got complicated, so I think I had to pull out for my own sanity more than anything.”

Bardem refused to play the role of Guido Contini in the musical drama stating he was exhausted from awards season and work. Daniel Day-Lewis was taken on board later in the film, which was also nominated at the Oscars in four categories.

Gosling was fired from the movie by director Peter Jackson as he weighed 60 pounds heavier. In a round-table discussion with Hollywood Reporter, the actor said, “We had a different idea of how the character should look. I really believed he should be 210 pounds.” Jack Salmon’s role was later played by Mark Wahlberg.

Richard Kimbell’s role was initially offered to Baldwin who turned it down as he had problems with the script. The movie, which later featured Harrison Ford, won several Oscar nods.

John Travolta won an Oscar nomination for the role of hitman Vincent Vega, which was initially offered to Madsen, who refused to do it as he was busy with the rehearsals of “Wyatt Earp” (1994).

Dustin Hoffman won an Oscar nomination for the role of Ben Braddock in the film. The role was initially offered to Redford, who couldn’t project the underdog qualities of the character during the screen test.

The “Pretty Woman” actress turned down the lead role in the movie, which later helped Sandra Bullock win a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Actress category.

The role of Gandalf was originally offered to Connery, who refused to take it up as he didn’t understand the script. It was played by Ian McKellen in the movie, who won the Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars. Connery told the Huffington Post, “I never understood it. I read the book. I read the script. I saw the movie. I still don't understand it. Ian McKellen, I believe, is marvelous in it.”