We love to see some of our favorite celebrities expanding their portfolio. Sometimes, certain movie roles can be entertainer's big break into the Hollywood scene. Like Jennifer Hudson did with Dreamgirls, transitioning from music or another field into show business is not an easy feat. With countless talented actors and actresses competing for similar roles in box office hits, it often takes more than talent to land a role. While huge names like Jamie Foxx and the late Tupac Shakur have each conquered the music game while showing off their acting skills, there are still projects that they, and other celebrities, unfortunately, did not make the cut for.
In the ups and downs of the entertainment world, a “No” could mean “Not right now,” or it could be a door to a better opportunity. Whatever the outcome, our favorite stars continue to work hard and never give up on their dreams. Though they might not have gotten what they wanted, that didn’t stop them from doing what they loved. Check out these 13 celebrities who auditioned for a role but lost it to another actor.
1. Jamie Foxx
Foxx is known for landing huge roles, including portraying iconic figures like the legendary Ray Charles in 2004’s Ray, Django in 2012’s Django Unchained and more. However, there was one audition for which Foxx might not have done his best. The team behind the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise, was seeking someone to play the role of Rod Tidwell, which was later given to Cuba Gooding Jr. On “The Howard Stern Show,” Foxx explained how he “blew the audition.” While he did nail the first round of tryouts, it wasn’t until he was face to face with the Top Gun star that Foxx became a little nervous during his script read. He wanted to impress Cruise but made the New York-born star laugh instead. Though he didn’t end up in Jerry Maguire, Foxx later worked with the Hollywood icon in the 2004 thriller Collateral.
2. Idris Elba
The world almost saw Idris Elba in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast. Tapping into his musical theater background, the British actor auditioned for the role of Gaston; however, the part was later offered to Luke Evans. Based on an interview with People, Elba felt that the casting directors may not have given him the role because of his age. Despite the reason for losing out on this opportunity, the award-winning entertainer has shown his talents in countless films including the Thor franchise, Luther: The Fallen Sun, The Harder They Fall and more.
3. Tyrese Gibson
In 2014, Tyrese Gibson went viral on social media for a leaked audition tape in which he took a shot at the role of Django in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Traditional audition tapes consist of actors reading lines from the script to give the casting director a good idea of how they can embody the character. However, the “Sweet Lady” crooner tried a different approach. Determined to land the character, he created his own scenes to help the casting director envision him on the actual set. Many people have shared their critical opinions about the tape, but it is undeniably evident that Gibson put commitment and effort into attaining a role that could have expanded his portfolio. Though Foxx ultimately landed the part, the R&B singer is still loved for his timeless songs and amazing performances in movies like Baby Boy and the Fast & Furious franchise.
4. Michael B. Jordan
While Michael B. Jordan has stolen the spotlight of one of Hollywood’s sexiest bachelors with his roles in the Black Panther and Creed movie series, there was another genre we could’ve seen the star in — sci-fi. A role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens interested many actors, including John Boyega, who ultimately landed the role of Finn. Jordan has stated that his audition for Finn was one of his worst auditions to date. According to IndieWire, the Fruitvale Station star admitted that he couldn’t fully connect with the role during the tryout. It required a lot of imagination, and he couldn’t quite nail it. However, all hope was not lost. The actor and film producer went on to release Without Remorse before directing and starring in Creed III.
5. Chadwick Boseman
We all know the late actor turned real-life superhero for his remarkable portrayal of T’Challa in Black Panthe r. However, the Ryan Coogler-directed movie was not Chadwick Boseman’s first introduction to the Marvel universe. Before 2018 film, there was 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. On “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” Boseman revealed that he originally auditioned for the role of Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). The award-winning actor mentioned that he initially didn’t think he would get the part anyway. While his prediction came true, the attempt was a great entryway for him to make Marvel history and become one of the greatest heroes of our time.
6. Gabrielle Union
Based on the 1970s animated series “Josie and the Pussycats,” a live-action version of the story premiered in 2001. If you are unfamiliar with the movie, its main characters are Josie McCoy, Melody Valentine and Valerie Brown. In an interview with blackfilm.com, Gabrielle Union shared that she was in the lineup to audition for the role of Valerie. She spent six months trying out for the part, which was later given to Rosario Dawson. Though Union didn’t get the result she hoped for, fans still talk about the many projects that have cemented her talent — from Bring It On and Deliver Us from Eva to Being Mary Jane and more.
7. Keke Palmer
DC Comics fans have enjoyed The CW’s “The Flash” for nine seasons. The animated show highlights the protagonist, Barry Allen, and how he navigates his powers of being the fastest man alive. Actress Candice Patton was cast as Barry’s love interest, Iris West. However, Patton was only one of many in the running for the role. Casting director David Rapaport shared with Buzzfeed that Keke Palmer auditioned as the superhero’s leading lady. However, during testing, the casting team felt like the Nope star was “a little too young” next to Grant Gustin, who played Barry. While it would have been cool to see the actor and singer portrayed in the comics world, Palmer has decided to jump into other ventures. In 2022, she launched her own digital network, KeyTV — a platform for other rising creators to get their spotlight and make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry.
8. Tupac Shakur
The legendary “California Love” hitmaker continues to be one of the most well-known Hip Hop artists. While Shakur was known for his lyricism and rawness in the music industry, he also flaunted his acting chops in movies like Juice, Poetic Justice and Above the Rim. Per Rock The Bells, the late rapper was originally cast for many other roles but didn’t end up playing them. For example, Shakur auditioned for Malik Williams in the John Singleton-directed film Higher Learning and landed the part. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, he had to be pulled from the project, allowing Omar Epps to star in the motion picture instead. Shakur was also the top choice for Jody in the 2001 film Baby Boy. The famed West Coast artist had a promising future in Hip Hop and the entertainment industry but was unfortunately gone too soon. To pay homage to the music star, Baby Boy features a scene in which Jody (Gibson) listens to Shakur’s single “Hail Mary” while a painting of the young talent hangs on his bedroom wall.
9. Fantasia Barrino
The American Idol winner almost played Effie White in 2006's Dreamgirls alongside Beyoncé and Anika Noni Rose. According to Contactmusic.com, Foxx — who was cast as Curtis Taylor Jr. In the film — initially suggested Fantasia Barrino for the role. Unfortunately, the director had other plans, and she lost out on the role to Hudson. Luckily, there were no hard feelings. Barrino even told Vibe Vixen that the role was ultimately meant for the "Spotlight” singer, who made a lasting impression on the world as Effie. Though she didn’t make it into the film, the effort was still significant as it was her debut move to break into the industry.
10. Martin Lawrence
The 1991 movie New Jack City will always be one of the most iconic films in the history of Black culture. Starring Wesley Snipes, ICE-T and Allen Payne, the project left a lasting impression on the country. Eventually portrayed by Chris Rock, the role of crack addict Benny "Pookie" Robinson was a huge stepping stone in the comedian’s career. Martin Lawrence was originally considered for the part, but due to the untimely death of his mentor, he decided to turn the role down. Although the “Martin” star killed the audition and would have dominated the role, losing the part wasn’t a total loss. Audiences have seen Lawrence hit the big screen with excellent roles in Life, Big Momma’s House and the Bad Boys franchise.
11. Chaka Khan
The Queen of Funk has dropped many notable hits over her five-decade-long music career. With popular tracks from “Through the Fire” to “Sweet Thing,” Chaka Khan has won 10 Grammy Awards for several celebrated music projects. But did you know that music wasn’t the only area she was set to take a lead role in? Based on an interview on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” the Chicago native explained how she almost starred in the 1985 Steven Spielberg film The Color Purple as Celie. However, due to nerves, the young music icon decided to turn down the opportunity. Thus, Whoopi Goldberg was cast as Celie. Looking back, Khan reflected on the moment, stating that if she had said yes to the chance, her portrayal in the award-winning movie “would’ve been hot.”
12. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
With the epic line “Do you smell what The Rock is cooking?” the wrestler-turned-actor has undoubtedly earned his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. After his eight-year run with WWF as The Rock, Dwayne Johnson turned his sights to acting — later becoming one of the most highly paid actors in the industry. Though he has landed noteworthy roles in TV series like “Ballers” and movies like The Scorpion King, there are other opportunities for which he didn’t have the best luck. The world almost saw Johnson as the titular character in 2012’s Jack Reacher. Five years after the film’s release, Johnson shared that even after pursuing the role and working with comedian Kevin Hart for the movie, Cruise got the part. Allegedly, as explained by Screen Rant, Johnson was not in the same place professionally as he is now, which could have skewed the director’s decision to cast him. While it is still not confirmed what led to the decision to choose Cruise instead of the Fast Five star, the loss did not stop him from continuing to work on great projects, including San Andreas, Moana, Black Adam and more.
13. Will Smith
Our “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Bad Boys and Hip Hop superstar Will Smith is well-known for his captivating acting skills. He has executed countless films that are still discussed among fans today. However, in 2020, the I Am Legend star confessed that one particular role was “the one that got away.” Lana and Lilly Wachowski, known for being the creators of The Matrix franchise, approached Smith to play its lead character, Neo. The Grammy Award-winning icon explains on his YouTube channel that a movie pitch is very important when actors decide which projects to be involved in. He eventually turned down the opportunity because the pitch wasn’t as specific as he hoped. Though he regretted his decision, he knew it was the right one in the end. Smith stated, “Keanu [Reeves] was perfect, and Laurence Fishburne was perfect. If I had done it because I’m Black, then Morpheus wouldn’t have been Black. ‘Cause they were looking at Val Kilmer.” He then jokes, “I probably would’ve messed the Matrix up. I would’ve ruined it. So, I did y'all a favor.”