20 Famous Roles That Took Some Convincing to Cast

Some actors become so closely associated with a character that imagining anyone else in the role feels a little ridiculous. Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods? Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully? Patrick Swayze in "Ghost"? Today, those casting decisions seem obvious. At the time, Hollywood wasn't always convinced.

Studios questioned whether performers were too young, too attractive, not famous enough, or simply wrong for the part. Some actors responded by showing up for more auditions. Others wrote letters, changed their appearance, or spent years trying to get a project made in the first place. In a few cases, it was a director or costar who had to do the convincing.

These 20 casting stories, drawn from actor interviews, filmmaker recollections, and entertainment reporting, show how differently things might have turned out. Some involve roles that were nearly recast, while others required an especially difficult audition or a fight to win over skeptical executives. Either way, the actors we associate with these famous characters weren't always guaranteed the job.

Reese Witherspoon had already demonstrated her acting abilities in "Election," but that performance nearly cost her the role of Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde." According to Witherspoon, a studio executive had trouble separating her from Tracy Flick, the ambitious and frequently unpleasant character she played in the earlier film. He apparently assumed she was just as difficult in real life. Her manager encouraged her to dress more glamorously for a meeting with the executive to change his impression. She eventually won the part, turning Elle Woods into one of the most recognizable characters of her career. Apparently, playing an unlikable character a little too convincingly can have its drawbacks.

Taylor Lautner had already played Jacob Black in the first "Twilight" movie, but that didn't guarantee he would return for the sequel. Jacob undergoes a dramatic physical transformation in "New Moon," and the filmmakers considered bringing in an older, larger actor to match the character described in the books. Lautner wasn't interested in handing over the role. He began an intense training program after filming the first movie and gained approximately 30 pounds before production on the sequel. The added muscle helped convince the filmmakers he could handle Jacob's transformation. Lautner kept the part and continued playing the character throughout the franchise.

Steven Spielberg first approached Sally Field about playing Mary Todd Lincoln years before "Lincoln" reached theaters in 2012. But when Daniel Day-Lewis joined the production as Abraham Lincoln, Spielberg reconsidered. The problem was their ages. Historically, Abraham was about ten years older than Mary, while Field was roughly ten years older than Day-Lewis. Field wasn't willing to walk away from a role she had spent years preparing to play. She went through another audition process and eventually met Day-Lewis in costume, with both actors improvising as the Lincolns. Their chemistry settled the question. Spielberg and Day-Lewis called Field afterward to offer her the part, which earned her an Academy Award nomination.

Dr. Spencer Reid became one of the most recognizable characters on "Criminal Minds," thanks largely to Matthew Gray Gubler's unusual take on the brilliant but socially awkward FBI profiler. The problem was that the producers originally pictured someone quite different. According to Gubler, they wanted Reid to be more restrained and stoic, almost like Data from "Star Trek." Gubler brought a more eccentric personality to the audition, and the casting team repeatedly told him he was talented but wrong for the character. He kept coming back with essentially the same interpretation. After four or five auditions, the producers finally decided his approach worked. Sometimes being stubborn about a character pays off.

Before Bradley Cooper's version of "A Star Is Born" reached theaters in 2018, the project went through several different plans, including an earlier version involving Beyoncé and director Clint Eastwood. When Cooper took over, he wanted Lady Gaga to play Ally, but not everyone at Warner Bros. shared his confidence. Gaga was already a major recording artist and had earned a Golden Globe for "American Horror Story," but carrying a feature film was another matter. The studio requested a screen test to see how she and Cooper worked together. According to producer Bill Gerber, the footage quickly convinced the remaining skeptics. Gaga ultimately earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination, proving the gamble was worthwhile.

It's difficult to imagine "Breaking Bad" without Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, but the network wasn't originally sold on him. Paul has recalled that even after his screen test, there were people involved who didn't want him playing the character. Fortunately, series creator Vince Gilligan saw something they didn't. According to Paul, Gilligan was so determined to cast him that he threatened not to make the show without him. The producers eventually came around, and Paul went on to win three Primetime Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Jesse. Not bad for an actor who nearly missed out on one of television's most memorable characters.

Jackie Gleason initially rejected Audrey Meadows for the role of Alice Kramden because he thought she was too young and attractive to play Ralph Kramden's long-suffering wife. Meadows wasn't about to let that be the end of it. She arranged to have photographs taken of herself without makeup, wearing old-fashioned clothes and looking considerably less glamorous. When Gleason saw the pictures, he decided she looked exactly right for Alice. He was reportedly amused when he learned the woman in the photographs was the same actress he'd already turned down. Meadows landed the job, and her chemistry with Gleason and the rest of the cast helped make "The Honeymooners" a television classic.

Winona Ryder was determined to play Veronica Sawyer in the dark comedy "Heathers," but screenwriter Daniel Waters wasn't convinced she looked right for the character. He later admitted that his initial impression of Ryder was based on her earlier film appearances, and he had imagined someone like Jennifer Connelly in the role. Ryder, however, loved the script and made it clear just how badly she wanted to be involved. She has also recalled getting a makeover in hopes of changing the filmmakers' minds. Once Waters met her, his reservations disappeared. Ryder won the part, and "Heathers" became one of the defining dark comedies of the late 1980s.

Marlon Brando is practically inseparable from Don Vito Corleone, but Paramount wasn't enthusiastic about casting him in "The Godfather." Despite his extraordinary talent, Brando had developed a reputation for being difficult, and several of his recent films had disappointed at the box office. Director Francis Ford Coppola believed he was the right choice and arranged a screen test. Brando darkened his hair with shoe polish, stuffed tissue into his cheeks to alter his face, and transformed himself into the aging Mafia boss. The performance convinced Paramount to give him the job. Brando went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, making the studio's original concerns look rather unnecessary.

Constance Wu wanted to star in "Crazy Rich Asians," but her existing commitment to the television comedy "Fresh Off the Boat" appeared to make the opportunity impossible. The movie and television series were scheduled to film at the same time, leaving Wu convinced she would have to miss out. Rather than simply accepting the situation, she wrote director Jon M. Chu an email explaining how much the project meant to her and asking for the chance to audition. The message made an impression. Chu and the production team adjusted the filming schedule, allowing Wu to pursue the role. She ultimately landed the lead, helping make the romantic comedy a major milestone for Asian American representation in Hollywood.

William H. Macy didn't exactly play it cool when auditioning for Jerry Lundegaard in the Coen brothers' "Fargo." After reading for the part more than once, he learned the filmmakers were still auditioning actors in New York. So he got on a plane, showed up uninvited, and asked for another chance. Macy later recalled joking that the brothers were going to ruin their movie if they cast anyone else. He even made a crack about shooting their dog if he didn't get the job. Fortunately, the Coens appreciated the humor, and Macy's persistence paid off. His performance as the increasingly desperate car salesman earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

When Chris Carter was developing "The X-Files," he knew Gillian Anderson was the actress he wanted to play FBI agent Dana Scully. Fox executives, however, had a different idea. According to Carter, they wanted someone with a more conventional Hollywood bombshell appearance and questioned Anderson's sex appeal. Her relative lack of name recognition didn't help matters. Carter believed her intelligence, intensity, and chemistry with David Duchovny were more important than the image executives had in mind. He continued pushing for Anderson, and the network eventually approved the casting. The decision gave television one of its most recognizable investigative duos and helped launch Anderson's international career.

Ryan Reynolds didn't have to convince Hollywood that he wanted to play Deadpool. The bigger challenge was convincing a studio to actually make the character's solo movie. Reynolds had been attached to the project for years, and his earlier appearance as Wade Wilson in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" hadn't exactly delivered the version comic book fans wanted. The proposed standalone film spent roughly a decade struggling to get off the ground, partly because Fox was hesitant about its unusual tone and R rating. Things changed when test footage leaked online in 2014 and fans responded enthusiastically. The studio finally moved forward, and "Deadpool" reached theaters in 2016. Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn't getting cast. It's getting the movie made.

Anne Hathaway wasn't the studio's first choice to play Andrea "Andy" Sachs in "The Devil Wears Prada." In fact, director David Frankel has said the role was offered to Rachel McAdams three times, only for her to decline each offer. Hathaway wanted the part, but convincing executives she was right for the movie took some effort. She had already become associated with younger, more family-friendly roles, particularly "The Princess Diaries." Meryl Streep reportedly helped make the decision easier after watching Hathaway's work in "Brokeback Mountain" and meeting with her. Hathaway eventually landed the role, and her performance opposite Streep helped turn the film into a lasting favorite.

Before "The Hunger Games" made her a household name, Jennifer Lawrence nearly missed the role that helped launch her film career. Director Debra Granik initially thought Lawrence was too conventionally attractive to play Ree Dolly, a teenager struggling to keep her family together in the Ozarks. Lawrence auditioned twice but wasn't ready to accept the rejection. She flew overnight to New York for another audition, deliberately arriving tired and disheveled, with little concern for looking camera-ready. The approach helped demonstrate that she could convincingly portray the character's difficult circumstances. Lawrence got the part in "Winter's Bone" and earned her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Lisa Kudrow had an especially uncomfortable reason to be nervous about her "Friends" audition. She had previously been cast as Roz Doyle on "Frasier," only to lose the part during rehearsals. The director involved was James Burrows, who also happened to be directing the "Friends" pilot. Kudrow has said she was the only member of the show's six principal actors required to audition specifically for Burrows. After she performed, he gave her almost no feedback, leaving her wondering whether he'd been impressed or thought she was hopeless. Fortunately, it was the former. Kudrow was cast as Phoebe Buffay, and the character became one of the sitcom's biggest fan favorites.

By the time "Scream" was being cast, Courteney Cox was already becoming famous as Monica Geller on "Friends." That was part of her problem. Director Wes Craven knew her primarily for playing a likable sitcom character, while Gale Weathers was supposed to be an ambitious, abrasive reporter who wasn't particularly concerned about making friends. Cox wanted the opportunity to show a different side of her acting abilities. She wrote Craven a letter explaining that she could absolutely play someone much less pleasant than Monica. Her persistence worked, and she landed the role. Gale became one of the franchise's central characters, giving Cox a successful horror career alongside her sitcom fame.

Patrick Swayze was already a major star when "Ghost" was being cast, but director Jerry Zucker initially didn't want him anywhere near the lead role. After watching Swayze in "Road House," Zucker had difficulty imagining him in a supernatural romance. Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin felt differently and pushed for Swayze to get an audition. When the actor finally had his chance, he delivered an emotional reading that reportedly brought the filmmakers to tears. Zucker changed his mind and cast him as Sam Wheat opposite Demi Moore. The film became a massive hit in 1990, demonstrating that Swayze could handle considerably more than action movies and dance sequences.

Patrick Swayze wasn't the only "Ghost" star who had to win over Jerry Zucker. The director initially resisted casting Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown because he associated her more with comedy than dramatic acting. Tina Turner was among the performers considered for the role, and she even submitted an audition tape. Swayze was convinced Goldberg would be a good fit and encouraged the filmmakers to give her a chance. When Goldberg and Swayze finally read together, their chemistry helped settle the matter. Goldberg landed the part and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. It's difficult to imagine the film without her performance.

Kate Winslet was determined to play Rose DeWitt Bukater in "Titanic," but director James Cameron wasn't immediately convinced. Winslet was already known for appearing in period dramas, and Cameron initially worried that casting her would be too predictable. Winslet didn't take that hesitation as a final answer. She pursued the role, spoke directly with Cameron, and even sent him a rose with a note expressing her determination to play the character. Eventually, her screen test and enthusiasm helped win him over. The decision changed her career, with "Titanic" becoming one of the biggest box-office successes in history and earning Winslet a Best Actress Oscar nomination.