In the modern movie age, it has become a sign of sincerity when an actor chooses to permanently alter their bodies for a movie role. But sometimes some actors are not so compliant. It can be due to their star power or the outlandish nature of the alteration itself. But actors have refused to change their bodies for movie roles. We scoured the interest for such incidents. Here are 10 actors who denied changing their bodies for movie roles.
The Wrestler – Nicholas Cage
Every movie fan remembers seeing Mickey Rourke play Ram Robinson in the Wrestler. The actor did a great job of showing us the sad reality behind the sport. How these professionals put their bodies in the line for entertainment. But there was a time when the role was offered to Nicholas Cage, who refused because he would not have been able to achieve the desired look. Cage said, “I resigned from the movie because I didn’t think I had enough time to achieve the look of the wrestler who was on steroids, which I would never do.”
American Graffiti – Harrison Ford
Back when Harrison Ford wasn’t as big a star as we remember, he was cast to play the lead role in American Graffiti. George Lucas wanted the actor to cut his hair into a flat top for the role but Ford refused. The director still did not want to do the movie without Han Solo so instead of a haircut, he gave the actor a cowboy hat. This compromise worked pretty well for the movie and for the actor.
Spider-Man – Kirsten Dunst
The Jumanji star was suggested by a producer on Spider-Man to get some work done. Specifically, they wanted Dunst to get “Barbie doll teeth”. The actress firmly refused the proposal. But still when ton to become the heartthrob Mary Jane in Spider-Man. Kirsten’s role would bring her back into the spotlight and give the fandom their first true portrayal of Psidey’s love interest.
The Batman – Robert Pattinson
The Batman is one of the most anticipated movies after the DC fandom 21. Part of the reason for this is the compelling performance of Robert Pattinson. But the actor is taking a different route to superherodom when compared to his contemporaries. Where everyone is focused on getting shredded Pattinson takes a more traditional approach. He even made a comment saying, “I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem. You set a precedent. No one was doing this in the ’70s. Even James Dean—he wasn’t exactly ripped.”
Footloose – Sarah Jessica Parker
Fans fell in love with Tracy Nelson’s character in Footloose. But did you know this role was offered to Sarah Jessica Parker first? She declined the role because she was asked to dye her hair red. The actress refused for one simple reason. She had been playing Annie on Broadway for far too long and could no longer think about delving back into that ginger look. I suppose some things happen for a reason.
Apocalypse Now – Marlon Brando
This is the example of one of those incidents where everything went so bad that it eventually turned outright. Marlon Brando is a massive star and sometimes massive stars can be a massive pain. Brando refused to look anything like what the director had planned for the starving veteran Kurtz in the movie. In fact, he weighed 300 lbs at the time of production and one decided to cut all of his hair without consulting anybody. Yet the role came out more iconic than any. Truly a weird turn of events.
Nobody – Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk is our most favorite actors. There is something about a shifty lawyer that really gets our blood pumping. Moreover, we got to see a very different take on a superhero. One that looked like your middle-aged neighbor and not a Greek God. Bob said in an interview, “I said: ‘I want to do my own fighting, but I also want to look like a dad.'”
Superman- Gene Hackman
To go bald was a monumental ask from an actor. But the filmmakers of Superman wanted to create a comic accurate Lex Luthor. Gene Hackman was staunchly opposed to the proposal but at the end of the movie decided to wear a bald cap. This was a fruitful compromise as the actor got to play one of the most iconic villains in movie and comic history.
The Hunger Games – Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence, a bold move, decided to look nothing like the book character she was playing in The Hunger Games. While Katniss in the books was supposed to be malnourished, Jennifer decided that she needed to look like a healthy and powerful woman. She even made a comment in this regard, “This is a person that young girls – well, all women, but mainly young girls – will be looking up to and are going to want to look like her, and we have control over it, so why not make her strong? Why not make her beautiful and healthy and fit?”.
Casino Royale – Daniel Craig
Originally when Daniel Craig was asked to play Bond he was also asked to dye his hair brown. The actor staunchly refused and suggested that he cut his hair short, instead. This worked out for the best. In his own words,“I was asked to dye my hair brown to play this role but it was out of the question. I suggested instead that I could cut my hair really short to create a more brutal appearance.”
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