It’s easy to picture Hollywood stars living charmed lives with nothing but their fortunes to worry about. But in reality, even the biggest names have faced rejection — sometimes in the most public (and humiliating) ways. Over the years, plenty of well-known actors have been cast in high-profile projects, only to be fired before or even during filming. Whether due to behind-the-scenes clashes, creative differences, or personal issues, these axings prove that fame doesn’t always guarantee job security.
From Megan Fox to Jean-Claude Van Damme, here are 15 celebrities you probably didn’t know were fired from famous roles.
1. Megan Fox
Fox was dropped from the “Transformers” franchise following her very public feud with director Michael Bay.
2. Terrence Howard
Howard was replaced by Don Cheadle as James “Rhody” Rhodes in the “Iron Man” films due to alleged salary disputes.
3. Stuart Townsend
Townsend was replaced by Viggo Mortensen as Aragon just two days after filming began for “Lord of the Rings.”
4. James Remar
Originally cast as Hicks in “Aliens,” Remar was fired and replaced by Michael Biehn due to a drug-related incident.
5. Samantha Morton
Morton was cast as the voice in “Her,” but was later replaced by Scarlett Johansson after the movie was finished.
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6. Julianne Moore
The famous actress was fired from “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and replaced by Melissa McCarthy, who later earned an Oscar nomination for the role.
7. Eric Stoltz
Stoltz was famously fired from “Back to the Future” after weeks of filming as Marty McFly before being replaced by Michael J. Fox.
8. Anne Hathaway
The actress was originally set to star in “Knocked Up,” but was replaced by Katherine Heigl due to “creative differences.”
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9. Harvey Keitel
Cast as Captain Willard in “Apocalypse Now,” Keitel was replaced by Martin Sheen just weeks into filming.
10. Ryan Gosling
Gosling was fired from “The Lovely Bones” after gaining 60 pounds without director Peter Jackson’s approval.
11. Sylvester Stallone
Hired for “Beverly Hills Cop,” Stallone left (some say was pushed out) after the role was rewritten for Eddie Murphy.
12. Dougray Scott
Scott was cast as Wolverine in “X-Men,” but was fired and replaced by Hugh Jackman due to scheduling conflicts and a shoulder injury.
13. Jean-Claude Van Damme
The actor was fired from playing the predator in the original “Predator” film after a reported clash with producers.
14. Edward Norton
Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Marvel films to due to “creative differences” with executives.
15. Colin Firth
Firth voiced the title character in “Paddington,” but was replaced with Ben Whishaw after his voice was deemed “too mature.”
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