Here are 19 Hollywood stars who weren’t afraid to talk about their rejection before making it big because of their physical appearance.
Being an actor, it stinks not to land the part you were hoping for. The majority of the time, casting directors are merely attempting to select the best candidate for the role, but occasionally, they reject outstanding actors for ludicrously absurd justifications.
In a recent interview, actor Andrew Garfield revealed that he was passed up for the role of Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narnia series because he wasn’t attractive enough. Garfield stated to Variety, “I remember I was so desperate.
I had a Prince Caspian audition for “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and I was thinking, “This may be it.” Ben Barnes, a charming and talented actor, eventually won the part. I believe it came down to me and him, and I certainly recall being fixated.
He continued by saying that he pestered his agent to tell him why he had been rejected, and the agent replied, “It’s because they don’t think you’re gorgeous enough, Andrew.”
Actors are rejected on a daily basis, but it’s taboo to explicitly reject someone based only on their appearance, be it face or physical. The story of Andrew Garfield is not the first time an actor has been turned down for this reason.
We relive some of the most well-known occasions when performers opened up about being turned down because of their appearance or warned that they wouldn’t succeed in show business due to their appearance.
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Here are some actors who were Rejected From TV Roles for the most ridiculous Reasons:
1. Chris Pine
Chris Pine’s O.C. Ryan Atwood audition was “actually really really excellent,” but due to his acne, he was turned down.
Patrick Rush, the casting director, stated on the Welcome to the OC, Bitches! podcast, “It hurts to say this. Because I had acne as a young child, I found Chris Pine’s skin to be extremely terrible at the time. I recalled thinking he was excellent.”
2. Amy Schumer
Actress Amy Schumer had to lose a lot of weight for her breakthrough movie “Trainwreck.” However, she claimed that she felt bad about how thin she seemed in the movie and “revenge ate” to restore her former appearance.
She added that the major reasons she lost weight were being told she would never succeed if she didn’t do so and only being offered roles that required her to look a certain way. Schumer once remarked in an interview, “I’m what Hollywood calls, very obese. Just so you know, Amy, no pressure, but if you weigh over 140 lbs., it will harm people’s eyes, someone once stated to me.
3. Regé-Jean Page
According to rumors, Regé-Jean Page’s race prevented him from being cast as Seyg-El, Superman’s great-grandfather, on Krypton.
According to reports, the production boss claimed that Superman couldn’t have a Black grandfather. He refuted the reports, though.
His representatives issued a statement in which they claimed that he had “never said Superman can’t have a Black ancestry or be Black – there have been varied versions of Superman in the comics for decades so he does and can be diverse.”
Regé-Jean responded via Twitter to the reports by saying, “It still stings to hear of these talks today just as much as it did then. Actually, I think the clarifications hurt more.”
He went on, “I’m still just doing me. We continue to work. Still, we fly.”
Cameron Cuffe was cast in the part.
4. Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep, a legendary actress, was informed she was “too old” for roles when she turned 40. “I’d say that our society is very focused on kids. I received three witch offers when I was 40. (roles).
No female explorers, love interests, heroes, or devils were presented to me. In an interview, Streep stated, “I was offered witches because I was ‘aged’ at 40. She did concede that the industry had changed since then and that, at the age of 71, she could now select from a variety of occupations she enjoyed.
5. Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph was sacked from a pilot she had secured in the 1980s because she was “not Black enough,” according to the producer.
She said to People “That was what he said. It was awful. I vividly recall how I felt at the time.”
“Thoughts were not particularly inclusive. Your directors were still attempting to instruct you on how to be Black, “She spoke.
6. Anne Hathaway
In a recent interview, Anne Hathaway talked about how younger actors are playing roles that are traditionally played by older actresses. The entertainment industry is constantly looking for younger actors to fill roles that aren’t acceptable for their age.
I used to receive parts that were written for women in their fifties when I was in my early twenties. And as I approach my early 30s, I wonder, “Why did that 24-year-old get that part? According to Hathaway,
7. Daniel Kaluuya
An aliens-themed English television program once required Daniel Kaluuya to go through ten rounds of auditions. When it came down to him and a white actor competing for the major role, he discovered his rival had received a benefit.
He revealed to the Sunday Times: “I discovered that the other guy had an acting coach as I was leaving for an audition. They didn’t adore me as much as they adored him.”
He went on, “That would be strange in any other career, but it was acceptable in mine. I said, “Nah,” after it occurred a few times. I’m not stupid.”
8. Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence thinks she is viewed as “too large” and “big” in Hollywood because she refuses to starve herself for roles. I was instructed to shed 15 pounds in two weeks by the makers of a movie when I was much younger and just starting out.
In an interview, Lawrence stated, “One girl before me had already been dismissed for not reducing weight quickly enough. Since then, she has also publicly denounced the damaging weight-loss mentality in the industry.
9. Lisa Edelstein
Prior to Sarah Jessica Parker’s decision, Lisa Edelstein was under contract to play Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City.
Lisa explained to Access Online, “Either I would do it or I wouldn’t. Everything hinged on her decision to accept.”
Lisa was fired from the show after Sarah opted to take the role, and she said it “was too difficult” for her to watch.
10. Mädchen Amick
In the Gilmore Girls audition process, Mädchen Amick “really fared and came very close to landing the part of Lorelai,” but the network determined she “didn’t seem old enough to be a mother.”
The network claimed that I didn’t appear old enough to be a mother, which was, in her words to TVLine, “kind of the whole idea,” she said.
The part was filled by Lauren Graham.
But when series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino invited Mädchen back as Sherry Tinsdale in three episodes, she finally got the chance to go to Stars Hollow.
11. Edward Zwick
My So-Called Life co-producer Edward Zwick originally wanted Alicia Silverstone to play Angela Chase, but Marshall Herskovitz rejected her because he felt she was too attractive for the part.
the New Yorker, Marshall said: “Because Alicia is so attractive, her perception of the world would have been impacted. Since she was six years old, she would have been the subject of compliments on her appearance. That face has no place in the narrative for this girl.”
Claire Danes won the role instead.
12. Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling was given the chance to host her own sketch comedy program early in her career, but the network made her try out for the part of herself before deciding she wasn’t “beautiful or funny enough.”
I believe that karmically, I was justified, although it felt awful at the moment. That network is no longer on the air, and The Office went on to become one of NBC’s most popular shows in years.
13. Mark Webber
In the Stumptown pilot, Mark Webber played Grey McConnell; however, when the show was picked up by ABC, he was sacked, and he claimed that this was because of his appearance.
I’m a heterosexual, white male, so I realize my journey has been significantly less terrible in this warped profession, but I’m being recast in a network television show because I’m not attractive enough for the execs, he tweeted.
He went on, “It was really humiliating how they handled me. Network TV is perishing as a result of these “executive” decisions.”
Jake Johnson won the part.
14. Alden Ehrenreich
Casting director David Rapaport initially preferred Alden Ehrenreich for the role of Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl, but the show’s creators determined he wasn’t “tall enough” to be Blake Lively’s love interest.
Blake is 5’10 while Alden is 5’9.
The 5’9″ Penn Badgley was given the part.
15. Teo Halm
On Girl Meets World, Elliot Matthews, Cory and Topanga’s oldest kid, was originally portrayed by Teo Halm. But following the pilot, his character was dropped.
He tweeted the following to share the information: “So guys, Disney determined that having an older brother on the show wouldn’t work; I won’t be on Girl Meets World. I want to thank everyone.
In 2000, when Boy Meets World came to an end, Cory and Topan were childless. Disney may have determined that having Elliot in the series wouldn’t have matched the show’s storyline as Girl Meets World debuted in 2014 when Teo was 15 years old. The show’s primary character, Riley Matthews, was created to be 12 years old at the outset.
Danielle Fishel, who plays Topanga, wrote in response “Teo, you have such skill, and I love you. You can still address me as “mom.”
16. Marc Maron
The stand-up comedian and podcaster Marc Maron believed that stealing a piece of candy from Lorne Michaels’ desk cost him the opportunity to join the Saturday Night Live cast.
He admitted: “I think I had a little marijuana in me,” to the New York Times. A bowl of candy was placed in front of the photos that [Mr. Michaels] was facing. Everything was quite tense.”
“Then he just stares at me until Steve Higgins, a producer for SNL at the time, asks, “Lorne?” And Lorne continues, “You can tell a lot about someone by looking into their eyes.” I then grabbed a candy, “He went on.
He stated: “When Steve caught Lorne’s eye, the meeting was done. I believed the sweets test was a failure.”
Years later, Lorne confirmed that his rejection had nothing to do with the sweets and was rather due to SNL not having a space for him.
Lorne stated: “I believe you were prepared. I believe it was because I didn’t know — I discovered very early on that if you bring people in but there’s really nowhere for them to sit… Always choosing the person who delivered for them on the previous episode, writers. It’s just harder because they will choose the performer who they are confident will deliver.”
17. Jenna Fischer
In the Man with a Plan pilot, Jenna Fischer played Andi Burns; however, her episode was only ever broadcast during the 2016 CBS Upfronts. Before the screening, the network made the choice to recast her.
Her lack of chemistry with co-star Matt LeBlanc, according to reports, was the deciding factor. It was fine, but we think we can do more in terms of the chemistry between the two of them, CBS Entertainment President Glenn Geller said at the time, according to The Wrap.
The part went to Liza Snyder.
18. Lily Aldrin
Finally, one of Alyson Hannigan’s daughters, Satyana or Keeva Denisof, was meant to be Lily Aldrin’s second child on How I Met Your Mother, but the producers determined her children were “too old.”
According to Alyson, “You fired my child, I said. That is, to start, ageism. She is too elderly to be fired, so I don’t believe you can.”
Uncredited baby played the part of Daisy Eriksen.
Did we leave out any of your favorite performers that were turned down for roles for absurd reasons? Comment below and let us know!
