“It read to me like a Woody Allen movie, verbatim,” he stated. “And I thought that was not something I should be in.” How Harry Met Sally became a legendary hit without Albert Brooks' help. Although, it's probably important to recognize that complaints had been getting filed against Woody Allen back in the '80s.
Hugh Jackman, Casino Royale
Everyone in Hollywood has dreams of playing James Bond. Well, everyone but Hugh Jackman. Jackman was the main contender to take over the bond series when Pierce Brosnan's time had ended. But, Jackman just didn't get down with the script of Casino Royale.
Jackman aired his concerns about Bond scrips, stating: “I just felt at the time that the scripts had become so unbelievable and crazy, and I felt like they needed to become grittier and real,” in an interview with Variety. Evidently, the director's response was "Oh, you don’t get a say. You just have to sign on." This didn't sit well with Jackman, so he stuck to what he knew best, X-Men.
Jack Nicholson, The Godfather
Regrettably, Jack Nicholson was one of the foolish individuals that turned down the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. Additionally, Robert De Niro, Warren Beatty, Robert Redford, and Martin Sheen all turned the role down. Jack's reasoning? He believed that the role should be played by an Italian actor.