Back in 2001, the first chapter of the exhilarating Fast & Furious saga raced onto the big screen, amassing a staggering $207 million at the box office. Over the course of the past two decades, the franchise has traversed an extensive journey and has become way more than a street car racing enthusiast’s heaven, delivering an enthralling experience. Throughout this evolution, it has weathered numerous challenges and triumphs, ultimately giving rise to a plethora of sequels and spin-offs.
Now, that the family is bigger than ever, with almost all the biggest names from the industry, here are some celebrities, who rejected the saga, including Denzel Washington.
1. Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington was reportedly approached by Universal during the sixth film’s conclusion. The intention was for him to grace the concluding scenes, a segue into portraying the principal antagonist in Furious 7. However, Washington apparently declined the proposition, showcasing a lack of interest. Consequently, the role that appeared to be on the horizon for him ended up being taken on by Jason Statham. Coinciding with the release of Furious 7, Denzel Washington made his mark with appearances in Fences, The Equalizer, and the revamped rendition of The Magnificent Seven.
2. Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone the Bollywood queen, though her presence remained relatively unfamiliar to Western audiences was almost cast in the Fast saga. Interestingly, she was initially handpicked for the role of Ramsey, a decision that stemmed from her fantastic audition. However, owing to prior commitments in the film Ram-Leela, she reluctantly had to let go of the opportunity. The torch was then passed to Nathalie Emmanuel, who ultimately embraced the role. Notably, Padukone and Diesel did forge a collaboration in another Hollywood film, a venture distinct from the Fast saga, at a later juncture.
3. Dave Bautista
In 2021, the actor engaged in a conversation with Universal, exploring the prospect of making an appearance in the franchise led by Vin Diesel. He revealed to Collider,
“They wanted to talk to me about Fast and the Furious, and I said ‘I’m not interested, let’s talk about [Gears of War character] Marcus Fenix,–I don’t mean to offend anybody. I’m not putting down anything else, I’m just saying [Gears] is way more interesting to me.–I don’t want to pretend like I’m actually interested in something I’m not when there’s something I’m actually really excited about that you guys have under control. ‘Would you consider me for that?’–I don’t think there’s any harm in that. I’m not trying to step on anybody else’s toes, I’m just saying like: ‘This is what I love and I’m seriously passionate about this. I can do a good job for you guys on this.'”
But unfortunately, it turns out that he was much more interested in Gears of War than this billion-dollar franchise.
4. Timothy Olyphant
In a twist of fate, when The Fast and the Furious was first presented to Universal, the condition for the film’s production hinged on Timothy Olyphant stepping into the role of Dom Toretto. Despite this, Olyphant opted not to take the part and deemed the part as “stupid”, leading the filmmakers to pivot to cast Vin Diesel.
5. Eminem
Twice, this icon here turned down the chance to join the franchise’s ranks. Eminem was presented not once, but twice with significant roles not especially in front of the lens all the time but definitely not any less significant. Initially, he was offered the opportunity to step into the shoes of Brian O’Conner in the first film, a role that ultimately found its home with Paul Walker. However, Eminem’s engagement in crafting his own film, 8 Mile, led him to regrettably decline.
In another instance, he was approached to contribute a song to the Furious 7 soundtrack. Interestingly, the song he declined was the poignant See You Again. Once more, he opted to turn it down, this time due to his deep involvement in Southpaw.
6. Redman
In the initial chapter of the Fast and Furious franchise, Ja Rule portrayed Tej Parker. However, for the second installment, tensions between Ja Rule and Universal Studios led to his replacement by rapper Ludacris. Interestingly, Reggie “Redman” Noble was initially approached for the same role before the conflict arose, but scheduling conflicts prevented his involvement.
7. Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku, who had garnered acclaim for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bring It On, found herself in a prime position within the industry at that time. However, when the role was presented to her, she decided to turn it down. Taking into account her hectic commitments during the early-2000s, fans assume that scheduling constraints might have influenced her decision.
8. David Tennant
Engagements were underway between David Tennant and director Justin Lin regarding a potentially significant role in Fast and Furious 6. While the specific character under consideration remains undisclosed, the assumption leans toward one of the Shaw brothers’ roles, roles that ultimately found homes with Evans and Statham, and rightfully so. The specifics of the negotiations aside, Tennant, unfortunately, redirected his focus toward other quite successful ventures.
