15 Iconic Movie Characters That Nearly Got Played By Someone Else
So many movies could have had totally different leads.
![15 Iconic Movie Characters That Nearly Got Played By Someone Else](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/2/806372_320x180.jpg)
Sure, people who play iconic characters seem like they were destined for it … but it often turns out, they edged out other famous actors by a hair. Here’s 15 examples of what we mean:
![Joe Manganiello very nearly ended up playing Superman in Man of Steel. Zack Snyder says it came down to Manganiello and Henry Cavill, and Cavill won out. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/7/806387.jpg)
![We nearly got to watch Jessica Henwick play Rey in The Force Awakens. She went through a six-month audition, and things didn't work out - but they wrote the character of Jess Pava just for her. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/5/806385.jpg)
![Keanu Reeves was originally going to play Ben Stiller's role in Tropic Thunder. Stiller's original idea was that Keanu would play Tugg Speedman, and Stiller would be Rick Peck. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/6/806386.jpg)
![Shia LaBeouf could've replaced Armie Hammer in Call Me By Your Name. Actually, Shia was the first choice, and Hammer only signed up when they put in a new director (who picked Hammer). CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/4/806384.jpg)
![Die Hard star Reginald VelJohnson was almost cast as Winston Zeddemore. It came down to him and Ernie Hudson, and VelJohnson ended up getting the prison guard role as a consolation prize. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/3/806383.jpg)
![John Lithgow was the first choice to play Dr Frasier Crane, not Kelsey Grammer. The role started out as a minor guest part, so they just got Grammer when Lithgow was unavailable. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/9/806379.jpg)
![Jon Favreau considered Sam Rockwell for Tony Stark in Iron Man. CAN E ING SPO Не approached Rockwell and asked him to audition, but it apparently just didn't work out. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/2/806382.jpg)
![In another universe, Danny DeVito is in the Indiana Jones franchise. Не was Spielberg's first choice to play Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but he couldn't afford him. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/8/806378.jpg)
![David Duchovny came this close to being in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Не and Edward Norton were the top choices to play Bruce Banner, and Norton won out in the end. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/0/806380.jpg)
![Apparently, Jim Carrey could've been Ferris in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. They were also considering not just him, but John Cusack, Tom Cruise, and Michael J. Fox too. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/7/806377.jpg)
![We could've watched Brad Pitt play Russell Hammond in Almost Famous. Pitt worked on the role for months, but ultimately gave up because he just didn't totally vibe with the character. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/5/806375.jpg)
![The first choice for the female lead in A Star is Born was actually Queen Bey. But Beyoncé ultimately turned it down, and then they approached Lady Gaga. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/8/1/806381.jpg)
![Alec Baldwin, not Chris Noth, nearly played Mr Big in Sex and the City. Baldwin was the first choice, but then Noth showed up, and the rest is TV history. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/6/806376.jpg)
![Joaquin Phoenix ended up almost playing Doctor Strange. restsp n lashu ORIGINAL But Phoenix backed out because there were too many requirements that went against my instincts for character. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/4/806374.jpg)
![We nearly got to watch Captain America himself as Jake Sully in Avatar. The final choice for Jake came down to Chris Evans, Channing Tatum, and Sam Worthington, and James Cameron picked Worthington. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/7/3/806373.jpg)